ftp 


W3683 

COPVl 


# 

Q_ 

•^f 

C3 

/5f 

le: 
3 

« 

o 
-o 

■^J, 

IE 

^r 

h> 

Q. 

#w 

#c^ 

fc 

*o 

*s 

„ 

5 

i 

fe 

<D 

o 

C 

w 

O 

bO 

Cs 

*£5 

&H 

<. 

^ 

fc=> 

o 

3 

ft 

£ 

•o» 

M 

CO 

«« 

^^ 

M 

to 

^ 

P4 

^       ■ 

O 

>> 

^ 

^ 

-a 

^ 

% 

c 

<3 

K 

a) 
</> 

^ 

Q. 

I3 

C- 


id 


AND   JESUS,    WHEN    HE   WAS   BAPTISED,    WENT     UP 
STRAIGHTWAY  OUT  OP  THE  WATER."  MATT.  3  :  16. 


Copyright  secured. 


WAY-MARKS 

TC 

APOSTOLIC  BAPTISM; 

OB, 

HISTORICAL   TESTIMONIES 

DEMONSTRATING 

THE  ORIGINAL  FORM  OF  THE  RITE 

AS  ORDAINED  BY 
AND  ADMINISTERED   BY 

HIS  HOLY  APOSTLES. 


"  Set  thee  up  way-marks." — Jer.  31 :  21. 


NEW  YORK: 

SHELDON  &  CO.,  115  NASSAU  STREET. 

BOSTON :— GOULD    &  LINCOLN. 

1861. 


i 


PREFACE. 


This  little  book  does  not  pretend  to  dis- 
cuss at  length  the  question  of  baptism,  on 
which  so  much  has  been  written.  The 
works  of  Moses  Stuart,  Alexander  Carson, 
and  others,  leave  little,  if  anything,  to  be 
added,  by  way  of  argument,  on  either  side 
of  that  question. 

The  special  object  of  this  treatise  is  to 
furnish  those,  who  have  neither  time  nor 
opportunity,  to  explore  the  fields  of  litera- 
ture for  themselves,  with  a  compendium  of 
historical  testimonies,  which,  with  the  Word 
of  God,  will  enable  the  unlearned  and  the 
unread,  as  well  as  the  scholar,  to  under- 


IV  PREFACE. 

stand  what  the  Saviour  meant,  when  he 
commanded  his  ministers  to  baptize  such  as 
should  believe  on  him  ;  and  what  the 
Apostles  did  when,  in  obedience  to  that 
mandate,  they  administered  the  rite  of  bap- 
tism, which  is,  beyond  all  controversy,  a 
matter  of  deep  and  solemn  interest  to  every 
disciple  of  Christ. 

Great  pains  has  been  taken  to  verify  the 
authenticity  of  these  testimonies,  and  to  put 
forth  only  such  as  are  in  themselves  genu- 
ine, and  such  as,  taken  together,  constitute 
a  fair  exponent  of  all  that  is  to  be  found  in 
the  works  of  good  and  great  men  on  this 
subject.  The  author  does  not  presume  to 
think  that  his  work  is  faultless  ;  and  yet  he 
cannot  but  believe  that  every  one  who 
reads  it,  with  a  predominant  desire  to  know 
the  divinely-instituted   form  of    Christian 


PREFACE.  V 

baptism,  will  most  certainly  arrive  at  a 
satisfactory  conclusion ;  nor  is  he  able  to 
see  how  any  unbaptized  believer  can  read 
it  with  a  mind  to  observe  the  rite,  as  ad- 
ministered by  the  Apostles,  according  to 
the  command  of  Christ,  and  remain  in 
doubt  as  to  the  path  of  duty. 

And  now,  with  an  earnest  prayer  for  the 
divine  blessing  upon  all  to  whom  this  little 
book,  in  its  humble  mission,  shall  come,  it 
is  most  cordially  dedicated  to  such  as  seek 
for  truth,  and  obey  the  gospel  of  our  Lord 
and  Saviour,  Jesus  Christ. 


GENERAL  INDEX  OF  CONTENTS. 


PAGES 

Introduction, 1 

Part  First,  embracing  testimonies,  from 

1852  to  1643,  of         .        .  5-56 

1.  Baptists,         .        .        .        .        .    •  .  5 

2.  Disciples,  otherwise  called  Camp- 

bellites, 10 

3.  Friends,  otherwise  called  Quakers,  11 

4.  Universalists,         ....  11 

5.  German  Reformed,  Dutch  Reformed 

and  Lutherans,   .        ...        .12 

6.  Presbyterians  and  Congregational- 

ists,  28 

-  7.  Methodists,  ....      35 

'8.  Episcopalians,        ....      38 

9.  Roman  Catholics,  ...      48 

10.  Promiscuous  Witnesses,        .        .      51 

Part  Second,  embracing  testimonies,  from 

1643  to  1311, of          .        .         57-84 
1.  Lutherans, 57 


Vlll  GENERAL   INDEX   OF    CONTENTS. 


2.  Presbyterians,        ....      64 

3.  Episcopalians,        ....      70 

4.  Roman  Catholics,  ...      75 

5.  Promiscuous  Witnesses,         .        .      77 
Part  Third,  embracing  promiscuous  tes- 
timonies, from  1311  to  754,         .      85-89 

Part  Fourth,  embracing  promiscuous 

testimonies,  from  754  to  251,      .       91-107 

Part  Fifth,  embracing  promiscuous  tes- 
timonies, from  251  to  128,  .     109-116 

Part  Sixth,  embracing  various  testi- 
monies, of  the  Apostolic  Age,    .    117-121 

Part  Seventh,  embracing  testimony  an- 
terior to  the  Christian  Era,        .     123,  124 

Part  Eighth,  embracing  decisive  exam- 
ples of  the  meaning  of  bapiizo,    .     125-129 

Alphabetical  Index  of  Contents,       .    131 


INTRODUCTION. 


The  only  authoritative  revelation,  in  which  God 
has  ever  made  known  his  will  to  man,  is  contain- 
ed in  the  oracles  of  divine  inspiration,  the  Holy- 
Bible.  In  this  sacred  volume  man  has  received, 
either  through  Jesus  Christ,  or  through  holt  men 
op  God,  who  spake  as  they  were  moved  by  the 
Holy  Ghost,  a  complete  revelation  of  the  divine 
will  —  a  revelation  of  all  that  man  needs  to  know, 
and  of  all  that  he  is  required  to  do,  in  order  to 
be,  by  the  grace  of  God,  saved  with  an  ever- 
lasting salvation. 

The  importance  of  implicit  obedience  to  all  that 
God  has  commanded  in  the  Bible  cannot  be  ex- 
aggerated. It  was  in  regard  to  a  divine  command 
under  the  legal  dispensation,  that  Nadab  and  Abi- 
hu  sinned.  The  law  forbade  the  offering  of  strange 
incense  before  the  Lord.  But  they  seem  to  have 
supposed  that  the  quality  of  the  fire  was  a  mere 
circumstance,  which  was  not  essential  to  the  ac- 
ceptableness  of  the  offering ;  and  so  ventured  to 


2  INTRODUCTION. 

deviate,  in  this  particular,  from  the  letter  of  a 
positive  precept.  That  deviation  was  treated  as 
a  transgression,  from  the  terrible  penalty  of  which 
the  offenders  found  no  deliverance  in  the  leniency 
of  a  merciful  God.  And  however  it  may  appear 
that,  under  the  gospel  dispensation,  the  rigor  of 
the  law  has  been  relaxed  by  the  pre-eminence  giv- 
en therein  to  that  which  is  internal  and  spiritual 
over  what  is  external  and  formal,  it  must,  neverthe- 
less, be  evident  that  even  there  the  wilful  or  care- 
less misunderstanding  of  a  divine  command  and 
the  consequent  failure  to  do  what  that  command 
enjoins,  is  a  moral  delinquency  for  which  there 
is  no  adequate  compensation.  Hence  it  is 
said :  What  thing  soever  I  command  you,  ob- 
serve TO  DO  IT  ;  THOU  SHALT  NOT  ADD  THERETO  NOR 
DIMINISH  FROM  IT.  Ye  ARE  MY  FRIENDS,  IF  YE  DO 
WHATSOEVER  I  COMMAND  YOU.  NOT  EVERY  ONE 
THAT  SAITH  UNTO  ME  LORD,  LORD,  SHALL  ENTER  IN- 
TO THE  KINGDOM  OF  HEAVEN  *,  BUT  HE  THAT  DOETH 
THE  WILL  OF  MY  FATHER  WHO  IS  IN  HEAVEN. 

To  understand  the  words  of  inspired  truth  is, 
therefore,  the  highest  object  of  human  intelligence ;' 
and  to  obey  these  statutes  of  the  divine  lawgiver 
is  the  noblest  work  of  man  in .  the  present  life. 
Hence  it  is  always  becoming  those  who  are  neith- 
er perfect  in  knowledge,  nor  infallible  in  action, 
to  inquire,  especially  where  conflicting  opinions 


INTRODUCTION.  3 

and  practices  prevail,  whether  they  rightly  un- 
derstand and  faithfully  perform  the  will  of  their 
Lord  and  Master,  Jesus  Christ,  as  revealed  to  us 
in  the  oracles  of  inspired  truth. 

Under  the  gospel  dispensation  the  Lord  has 
commanded  all  men  everywhere  to  repent  and 
be  baptized.  In  his  final  charge  to  the  apostles 
he  commanded  them  to  go  into  all  the  world 

AND  PREACH  THE  GOSPEL  TO  EVERT  CREATURE  ;  ac- 
companying his  divine  mandate  with  this  solemn 
declaration  :  He  that  believeth  and  is  baptized 

SHALL  BE  SAVED  ;  BUT  HE  THAT  BELIEVETH  NOT 
SHALL  BE   DAMNED. 

Now  there  is  among  the  disciples  of  Christ  an 
honest  difference  of  opinion,  as  to  wha1>is  meant 
by  the  word  baptize.  And  yet  it  does  not  seem 
to  me  impossible,  nor  very  difficult,  for  any 
one,  who  desires  most  of  all  to  know  the  truth, 
however  that  truth  may  disagree  with  his  own 
preconceived  opinions,  and  who  is  determined  to 
do  the  will  of  God,  however  that  will  may  cross 
his  own  inclinations,  to  understand  the  exact 
meaning  of  the  word  baptize,  in  the  language  of 
Christ.  For  he  used  this  word  as  a  complete,  un- 
qualified description  of  an  external  act  which  he 
thereby  enjoined  upon  his  disciples.  And  hence 
we  are  bound  to  presume  that  the  act  which  this 
word,  when  understood  according  to  its  common 


4  INTRODUCTION. 

acceptation,  would  most  distinctly  indicate,  is  the 
act  which  the  Savior  enjoins.  For  it  cannot  be 
reasonably  supposed  that  Jesus  Christ,  speaking 
in  a  language  which  was  remarkable  for  its  plain- 
ness arid  precision,  expressed  his  will  in  relation 
to  one  of  the  first  duties  and  doctrines  of  the  gos- 
pel, so  defectively,  indefinitely  or  obscurely,  that 
the  exact  import  of  his  words  would  be  liable  to 
be  misunderstood  by  those  to  whom  they  were  im- 
mediately addressed.  Whatever,  therefore,  was 
the  most  direct  and  obvious  meaning  of  the  word 
baptize,  in  the  language  of  the  people  —  the  mean- 
ing that  would  be  first  and  most  naturally  appre- 
hended by  the  disciples — that  must  have  been 
the  meaning  of  Christ.  To  ascertain  that  mean- 
ing, and  thereby  to  understand  exactly  what  con- 
stituted the  act  of  baptism,  as  enjoined  by  Christ, 
and  administered  by  the  apostles,  is  the  object  of 
the  following  treatise  ;  in  which  the  opinions  of 
learned  men  and  the  usages  of  the  Church,  rela- 
tive to  the  rite  of  baptism,  are  traced  from  the 
present  time  through  each  preceding  century  to 
the  apostolic  age,  and  compared  with  the  meaning 
of  baptizo  as  used  by  standard  writers  of  the 
Greek  language. 


I 


PAET  FIKST. 


The  testimonies  comprised  in  this  part  extend 
from  the  present  time  to  the  Westminster  Assem- 
bly, in  1643,  when,  by  a  vote  of  twenty-five  to 
twenty-four,  sprinkling  was  adopted  for  Baptism, 
in  preference  to  immersion. 


SECTION   FIRST. 

Testimony  of  Baptists. 

In  this  denomination  baptism  is  without  excep- 
tion an  immersion  of  the  whole  body  under  water. 

The  Confession  of  Faith  put  forth  by  upwards 
of  a  hundred  Baptist  congregations  in  Great 
Britain,  July  3, 1687,  and  adopted  by  the  General 


b         WAYMARKS    TO    APOSTOLIC    BAPTISM. 

Association  of  Philadelphia,  September  22,  1742, 
contains  the  following  declaration  : 

"  Baptism  is  rightly  administered  by  im- 
mersion, or  dipping  the  whole  body  of  the 
party  in  water,  into  the  name  of  the  Father, 
and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  ac- 
cording to  Christ's  institution,  and  the  prac- 
tice of  the  Apostles  ;  and  not  by  sprink- 
ling or  pouring  of  water,  or  dipping  some 
parts  of  the  body." 

Rev.  N.  N.  Whiting,  a  Baptist  clergyman,  and 
a  biblical  critic  of  more  learning  and  ability  than 
renown,  in  his  English  version  of  the  New  Testa- 
ment, published  at  Boston,  in  1849,  renders  bap- 
tizo  by  immerse. 

Rev.  A.  C.  Kendrick,  D.  D.,  a  clergyman  and 
Professor  of  Greek  in  the  University  of  Roches- 
ter, in  his  revision  of  the  common  English  ver- 
sion of  the  New  Testament,  published  at  Phila- 
delphia in  1842,  renders  baptizo  by  immerse;  stat- 
ing in  his  Preface,  that, 

"  He  has  given  to  baptizo  the  best  ren- 
dering, which,  in  his  judgment,  the  word  ad- 
mits, his  deliberate  judgment  coinciding  with 
nearly  the  whole  learned  world." 

Rev.  John  Howard  Hinton,  A.  M.,  an  eminent 
Baptist  clergyman  and  scholar  of  London,  in  his 


TESTIMONY    OF    BAPTISTS.  7 

English  version  of  Romans,  renders  baptizo,  im- 
merse ;  and  in  his  letter  to  Lord  Bexley  he  says  : 

"  The  anglicised  Greek  word,  baptize, 
was  admitted  into  the  English  language, 
through  the  influence  of  the  Roman  hierar- 
chy, whose  emissaries  then  swayed  a  control- 
ling power  over  the  literature  of  the  Brit- 
ish nation  ;  yet  it  was  then  almost  univer- 
sally understood  to  mean  immersion." — Bap- 
tist Magazine,  Vol.  xxx.,  p.  68. 

John  Milton,  the  celebrated  English  poet,  a 
man  of  extensive  learning  and  genuine  piety, 
brought  up  in  the  Church  of  England,  but  subse- 
quently a  Baptist,  in  his  Treatise  on  Christian 
Doctrine,  chap.  8,  says  : 

"  Under  the  Gospel,  the  first  of  the  sac- 
raments so  called  is  baptism,  wherein  the 
bodies  of  believers,  who  engage  themselves 
to  pureness  of  life,  are  immersed  into  run- 
ning water,  to  signify  their  regeneration  by 
the  Holy  Spirit,  and  their  union  with  Christ, 
in  his  death,  burial,  and  resurrection." — 
Treat.  Christ.  Bod.,  chap.  28. 

Rev.  Adontram  Jcdson,  D.  D.,  one  of  the  most 
distinguished  missionaries  of  modern  times,  in 
his  Sermon  on  Baptism,  preached  in  Calcutta, 
Sept.  27,  1812,  says  : 


8  WAYMARKS   TO    APOSTOLIC    BAPTISM. 

"  The  author  of  the  following  discourse 
was  by  education  and  profession,  a  pedo- 
baptist.  During  iris  passage  from  America 
to  India,  in  the  spring  of  1812,  he  began 
to  doubt  the  truth  of  his  former  sentiments. 
After  his  arrival  in  this  country,  and  before 
he  communicated  the  exercises  of  his  mind 
to  any  of  the  Baptist  denomination,  he  be- 
came convinced  that  the  immersion  of  a  pro- 
fessing believer,  into  the  name  of  the  Fa- 
ther, and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost, 
is  the  only  Christian  Baptism.'' 

"The  word  which  denotes  the  act  of 
baptizing,  according  to  the  usage  of  Greek 
writers,  uniformly  signifies  or  implies  immer- 
sion." "  The  Greek  people  certainly  under- 
stand their  own  native  language  better  than 
any  foreigners.  We  must,  therefore,  be- 
lieve that  their  practice,  whatever  it  be,  af- 
fords a  correct  and  indisputable  interpreta- 
tion of  the  Greek  word.  Now,  from  the 
first  introduction  of  the  gospel  to  the  pres- 
ent time,  they  have  invariably  practiced 
immersion.  This  is  true,  not  only  of  the 
Greek  people,  but  of  the  whole  Greek 
Church,  from  the  southern  provinces  of 
Greece  to  the  northern  extremity  of  the 
Russian  Empire,  a  Church,  which,  in  point 


TESTIMONY    OF    BAPTISTS.  9 

of  territory  and  population,  embraces  near- 
ly one  half  of  Christendom."  "  Not  only 
all  the  branches  of  the  Greek  Church,  but 
the  whole  Christian  world,  for  the  space  of 
thirteen  hundred  years,  practiced  immersion, 
as  the  only  Baptism.  Sprinkling  or  pour- 
ing was  never  tolerated,  except  in  case  of 
dangerous  sickness,  or  want  of  a  sufficient 
quantity  of  water,  and  in  such  cases  was 
called  Baptism  by  way  of  courtesy  merely, 
not  being  regarded  as  real  Baptism,  but  as 
a  substitute,  which,  through  the  indulgence 
of  God,  and  (in  later  times)  the  authority 
of  the  pope,  would  answer  the  ends  of  Bap- 
tism. Never,  by  any  Christians,  in  any  age, 
was  sprinkling  or  pouring  allowed  in  com- 
mon cases,  until  the  Council  of  Ravenna, 
assembled  by  the  pope  in  the  year  1311, 
declared  immersion  or  pouring  to  be  indiffer- 
ent. From  that  time  the  latter  came  into 
general  use.  It  was  not,  however,  admit- 
ted into  England  till  the  middle  of  the  six- 
teenth century,  and  not  sanctioned  till  the 
middle  of  the  seventeenth  ;  when  the  West- 
minster Assembly,  influenced  by  Dr.  Light- 
foot,  decided  that  '  dipping  of  the  person 
in  water  is  not  necessary;  but  baptism  is 
rightly  administered   by  'pouring  or  sprink 


10        WAYMARKS   TO    APOSTOLIC    BAPTISM. 

ling  water  upon  the  person.'" — JvdsorCs 
Sermon,  Boston  edit.,  1846,  pp.  3,  1,  21-23. 
Foreign  Versions  have  been  made  into  the 
Chinese  language,  by  Rev.  J.  Goddard,  •  D.  D., 
and  Rev.  Wm.  Dean,  D.  D. ;  into  the  Siamese,  by 
Rev.  J.  T.  Jones,  D.  D. ;  into  the  Karen,  by  Rev.  F. 
Mason,  D.  D.;  into  the  Bengalee,  by  Rev.  "W.  Yates 
Rev.  W.  H.  Pearce  ;  into  all  the  principal  lan- 
guages of  Northern  Hindostan,  by  Rev.  Wm.  Ca- 
rey, D.  D.  ;  and  into  the  Burmese,  by  Rev.  Adon- 
iram  Judson,  D.  D. ;  in  all  which  baptizo  is  trans- 
lated by  vernacular  words,  signifying  immerse. 


SECTION   SECOND. 

Disciples  of  Christ,  otherwise  called  Campbellites. 

It  is  the  uniform  practice  of  this  denomination, 
which  is  now  very  numerous  in  the  United  States, 
to  immerse  those  whom  they  initiate  on  profession 
of  faith  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 

Alexander  Campbell,  President  of  Bethany 
College,  in  his  English  version  of  the  New  Testa- 
ment, based  on  the  translation  of  George  Campbell, 
D.  D.,  Philip  Doddridge,  D.  D.,  and  James  Mac- 
knight,  D.  D.,  which  was  first  published  in  Amer- 
ica in  1826,  and  republished  at  London  in  1838, 
renders  baptizo  by  immerse. 


TESTIMONY   OF     QUAKERS.  11 

SECTION  THIRD. 

Friends,  otherwise  called  Quakers. 

Outward  Baptism,  as  well  as  all  other  prescribed 
forms  and  ceremonies  of  religion,  is  considered 
obsolete,  in  the  observances  of  this  denomination. 
Their  testimony,  therefore,  respecting  the  primi- 
tive mode  of  its  administration,  is,  on  that  ac- 
count, more  disinterested  and  reliable. 

Robert  Barclay,  Esq.,  a  pious  and  learned 
man  of  that  connection,  in  his  celebrated  Apolo- 
gy, p.  440,  says : 

"  The  Greek  word  bapttzo,  signifies  im- 
mergo,  that  is,  to  plunge,  and  dip  in  ;  and 
that  was  the  proper  use  of  water-baptism 
among  the  Jews,  and  also  by  John  and  the 
primitive  Christians  who  used  it." 


SECTION  FOURTH 

Universalists 

In  this  denomination,  sprinkling,  pouring,  and  im- 
mersion, are  all  admitted  as  valid  Baptism,  and, 


12        WAYMARKS   TO    APOSTOLIC    BAPTISM. 

though  not  required  as  a  condition  of  membership*, 
are  respectively  administered,  when  desired,  both 
to  adults  and  infants. 

Rev.  Nathamel  Scarlet,  a  minister  and  scho- 
lar of  some  note,  in  that  connection,  made  an 
English  version  of  the  New  Testament,  which  was 
published  at  London  in  1795,  and  translated  baf- 
tizo  by  immerse. 


SECTION  FIFTH. 

German  Reformed  Dutch  and  Lutheran  Churches. 

The  prevailing  practice  of  these  churches  is 
now  to  sprinkle  for  baptism.  But  their  scholars, 
who  stand  first  in  the  learned  world,  admit  that 
baptizo  means,  and  the  primitive  practice  was,  to 
immerse  ;  justifying  their  practice  on  the  ground 
that  a  change  of  the  original  form  does  not  affect 
the  essence  of  the  rite,  and  is  therefore  admissi- 
ble for  the  sake  of  convenience. 

Rev.  Philip  Sciiaff,  D.  D.,  Professor  of  Theol- 
ogy in  the  Mercersberg  Seminary  of  the  German 
Reformed  Church,  and  one  of  the  best  scholars 
of  any  denomination  in  this  country,  in  his  Eccle- 


TESTIMONY    OF    GERMAN    REFORMED.         13 

siastical  History,  written  about  the  middle  of  this 
century,  says  : 

"  Finally,  as  it  respects  the  mode  and 
manner  of  outward  baptizing,  there  can  be 
no  doubt  that  immersion  and  not  sprinkling 
was  the  original,  normal  form.  For  which, 
even  the  signification  of  the  Greek  words 
with  which  the  rite  was  described  declares  ; 
then  also  the  analogy  of  John's  baptism, 
who  performed  the  act  in  Jordan  (en,  Matt. 
3:  6,  16;  also  eis  Jordanen,  Mark  1:  9;) 
moreover  the  New  Testament  comparisons 
of  baptism,  with  the  passage  through  the 
Red  Sea  (1  Cor.  10:  2,)  with  the  deluge 
(1  Pet.  3:  12,)  with  a  bath  (Eph.  5 :  26  ; 
Tit.  3:  12,)  with  a  burial  and  a  resurrec- 
tion (Rom.  6:4;  Col.  2:  12;)  finally,  it  was 
the  universal  usuge  of  the  churches  of  an- 
tiquity to  baptize  by  immersion  (as  the  ori- 
ental Churches,  and  also  the  Russian-Greek 
do  to  this  day,)  and  wetting  or  sprinlding 
was  allowed  only  in  cases  of  urgent  necessi- 
ty, as  with  the  sick  and  the  dying." — Mer- 
cersberg  ed.  1851,  pp.  488-489. 

Dr.  Thelle,  Professor  of  Theology  at  Leipsic, 
and  one  of  the  most  distinguished  scholars  of 
Germany,  in  his  critical  recension  of  Knapp's 


14       WAYMARKS    TO    APOSTOLIC    BAPTISM. 

Greek  Testament,  published  at  Leipsic  in  1852, 
puts  over  the  third  chapter  of  Matthew,  the  fol- 
lowing heading : 

"  Immersio  Jesu  ;"  that  is,  the  immersion  of 
Jesus. 

Dr.  TholuCk,  Professor  of  Theology  in  the 
University  of  Halle,  and  corresponding  member 
of  the  Asiatic  Society  of  London,  in  his  celebrat- 
ed commentary,  at  Rom.  6:  4,  says  ■ 

"  For  the  explanation  of  this  figurative 
description  of  the  baptismal  rite  it  is  neces- 
sary to  call  the  attention  to  the  well-known 
circumstance,  that,  in  the  early  days  of  the 
Church,  persons  when  baptized,  were  first 
flunged  below,  and  then  raised  above,  the 
water;  to  which  practice,  according  to  the 
direction  of  the  Apostle,  the  early  Christians 
gave  a  symbolical  import.  See  Suiceri  Thes. 
T.  I.  under  the  word  anadusisP 

Dr.  H.  Olshausen,  a  celebrated  Professor  of 
Theology  in  the  University  of  Erlangen,  in  his 
exposition  of  John  3  :  23,  says  : 

11  John,  also,  was  baptizing  in  the  neigh- 
borhood, because  the  water  there,  being 
deep,  afforded  conveniences  for  submersion.11 
On  Rom.  6:  4,*  he  says:    "In  this   place, 


TESTIMONY    OF    GERMAN    REFORMED.       15 

also,  we  must  by  no  means  think  of  their, 
own  resolutions  only  at  baptism  or  see  no 
more  in  it  than  a  figure,  as  if  by  the  one 
half  of  the  ancient  rite  of  baptism,  the  sub- 
mersion, the  death  and  burial  of  the  old 
man — by  the  second  half,  the  emersion,  the 
resurrection  of  the  new  man — were  no  more 
than  prefigured  ;  we  must  rather  take  bap- 
tism in  its  inward  meaning,  as  a  spiritual 
process  in  the  soul." 

Dr.  DeWejte,  of  whom  Prof.  Stuart  said  in 
the  "  Bibliotheca  Sacra,"  of  May,  1848  p.  264, 
that  "  no  living  writer  in  the  province  of  theolo- 
gy, sacred  archaeology,  and  Hebrew  and  Greek 
philology  and  exegesis,  can  lay  claim  to  more 
distinction,  in  regard  to  extent  and  accuracy  of 
knowledge  acquired  by  study,"  and  whose  Ger- 
man version  of  the  Bible  is  justly  ranked  among 
the  best  ever  made  into  any  language,  in  his  ex- 
position of  Matt.  3  :  6,  says  : 

"  They  were  baptized,  immersed,  sub- 
merged. This  is  the  proper  meaning  of  the 
frequentative  from  b apto,  to  immerse.  ( John 
13:  26.)  And  so  was  the  rite  according  to 
Rom.  6.  3." 

Matthies,  a  distinguished  scholar  of  Germany, 
in  a  work  which  took  the  prize  in  the  University 
of  Berlin,  says  : 


16        WAYMARKS   TO    APOSTOLIC    BAPTISM. 

.  "  In  the  apostolical  Church,  in  order  that 
a  communion  with  the  death  of  Christ  might 
be  signified,  the  whole  body  of  the  person 
to  be  baptized  was  immersed  in  the  water  or 
river,  and  then,  in  order  that  a  connection 
with  the  resurrection  of  Christ  might  be  in- 
dicated, the  body  again  emerged,  or  was  rais- 
ed out  of  the  water.  That  this  rite  has 
been  changed  is,  indeed,  to  be  lamented  ;  for  it 
placed  before  the  eyes,  most  aptly,  the  symboli- 
cal meaning  of  baptism" — Bib.  Hist.  Dog- 
mat.  Expos.  Bap.  p.  116. 

Dr.  Augustus  Neander  furnishes  the  most  con- 
clusive testimony  upon  this  subject.  Of  him  Dr. 
Edward  Robinson  says,  in  his  Biblical  Reposito- 
ry of  1833  :  "  The  lectures  of  Neander  upon  the 
New  Testament  are  superior  to  those  of  any  liv- 
ing lecturer  in  Germany.  Endowed  with  great 
sagacity,  and  a  memory  of  prodigious  power,  and 
trained  to  habits  of  iron  diligence,  he  has  studied 
to  a  greater  extent,  and  with  larger  results,  than 
any  man  now  living,  all  the  works  of  the  fathers 
and  other  ancient  writers,  as,  also,  all  the  writ- 
ings of  the  middle  ages,  which  have  any  bearing 
upon  either  the  external  or  internal  history  of 
the  Christian  religion.  He  has  entered  into  their 
very  spirit,  and  made  himself  master  of  all  their 


TESTIMONY    OF    GERMAN    REFORMED.       IT 

stores.  These  are  points  on  which  there  is  no 
question  among  the  scholars  of  Germany,  of  any 
sect  or  name.  What  Neander  affirms  upon  any  sub- 
ject connected  with  such  studies,  comes  with  the  weight 
of  the  highest  authority  ;  because  it  is  understood  and 
known  to  be  the  residt  of  minute  perianal  investigation, 
united  with  entire  candor  and  a  perfect  love  of  truth." 
This  man.  to  whom  Dr.  Robinson  thus  ascribes 
the  attributes  of  an  infallible  witness,  in  the  first 
and  the  last  edition  of  his  "General  History," 
says: 

"  Baptism  was  originally  administered  by 
immersion ;  to  this  form  many  of  the  com- 
parisons of  the  Apostle  Paul  allude,  the  im- 
mersion being  a  symbol  of  the  dying,  the 
being  buried  with  Christ,  the  emersion  being 
a  symbol  of  the  resurrectiom  of  Christ,  as 
the  two  parts  in  the  new  birth,  a  death  of 
the  old  man  and  a  resurrection  to  a  new 
life."  "  In  respect  to  the  form  of  baptism, 
it  was,  in  conformity  with  the  original  insti- 
tution and  the  original  symbol,  performed 
by  immersion,  as  a  sign  of  entire  immersion 
into  the  Holy  Spirit,  of  being  entirely  pen- 
etrated by  the  same.  It  was  only  with  the 
sick,  where  the  exigency  required  it,  that 
any  exception  was  made  ;  and  in  this  case 


18        WAYMARKS   TO    APOSTOLIC    BAPTISM. 

baptism  was  administered  by  sprinkling." — 
Allgem.  Gesch.  Band.  I.  s.  547,  Ham.  ed.t 
1825.     Ibid,  s.  534,  Ham.  ed.,  1842. 

The  latter  of  these  two  extracts  is  given,  as 
translated  by  Prof.  Torrey,  except  that  he  ren- 
dered ganzlichin  Eintauchens,  "  entire  baptism," 
which  is  entirely  wrong. 

Rev.  M.  Gutzlaff,  a  learned  missionary  of  the 
Lutheran  Church,  in  his  highly  esteemed  Chinese 
version,  rendered  Baptizo  by  a  native  term  which 
signifies  immerse. 

Dr.  George  C.  Knapp,  Professor  of  Theology 
in  the  University  of  Halle,  and  one  of  the  high- 
est ornaments  of  the  Lutheran  Church  in  Germa- 
ny, says : 

"  Immersion  is  peculiarly  agreeable  to  the 
institution  of  Christ,  and  to  the  practice  of 
the  apostolical  Church  ;  and  so  even  John 
baptized  ;  and  immersion  remained  common 
a  long  time  after,  except  that,  in  the  third 
century,  or  perhaps  earlier,  the  baptism  of 
the  sick  (baptisma  clinicorumj  was  perform- 
ed by  sprinkling  or  affusion.  Still  some 
would  not  acknowledge  this  to  be  true  bap- 
tism, and  controversy  arose  concerning  it, 
so  unheard  of  was  it,  at  that  time,  to  bap- 
tize by  simple  affusion." — Knapp1  s  Theology, 
p.  486,  2d  Am.  ed,,  1845. 


TESTIMONY    OF   THE    LUTHERAN    CHURCH.    19 

Dr.  Hagexbach,  Professor  of  Theology  in  the 
the  University  of  Berlin,  in  a  work  published  at 
Edinburg  in  1848,  says  : 

"  Sprinkling  also  (instead  of  dipping) 
gave  rise  to  many  discussions.  Thomas 
Aquinas  preferred  the  more  ancient  cus- 
tom, because  dipping  reminded  Christians 
of  the  burial  of  Christ  ;  but  he  did  not 
think  it  absolutely  necessary.  From  the 
thirteenth  century,  sprinkling  came  into 
more  general  use  in  the  West.  The  Greek 
Church,  however,  and  the  church  of  Milano 
still  retained  the  practice  of  immersion." — 
Compend.  Hist.  Dodr.,  vol.  ii.,  p.  84. 

Dr.  Gieseler,  a  well-instructed  pupil  of  Knapp, 
Gesenius,  and  Wegecheider,  and  Professor  of  The- 
ology in  Gottingen,  whom  Dr.  Barnas  Sears  pro- 
nounced in  1836,  "  the  second,  and  in  some  res- 
pects the  first,  ecclesiastical  historian  of  the  age,'-' 
adding  that  "  his  critical  accuracy  is  unrivalled," 
in  his  Church  History,  which,  according  to  Prof. 
Moses  Stuart,  who  used  it  as  his  "  most  common 
manual,"  in  matters  of  ecclesiastical  archaeology, 
is  distinguished  for  "  uncommon  diligence,  judg- 
ment, and  accuracy;"  and  which  Dr.  Sears  char- 
acterized in  1836,  as  "  the  most  perfect  text-book 
before  the  public,'-"  speaking  of  the  course  of  in- 


20       WAYMARKS   TO    APOSTOLIC    BAPTISM 

etruction  through  which  catechumens  of  the  early- 
churches  were  required  to  pass,  says  : 

"This  course  usually  occupied  several 
years,  aud  often  the  catechumens  voluntari- 
ly deferred  their  baptism  on  account  of  the 
remission  of  sins  by  which  it  was  accompa- 
nied. Hence  it  was  often  necessary  to  bap- 
tize the  sick,  and  in  that  case  sprinkling  was 
substituted  for  the  usual  rite? — P.  I.  Div. 
3,  c.  4,  §  68. 

Dr.  John  L.  Mosheim,  a  Lutheran  Minister  and 
Chanceller  of  the* University  of  Gottingen,  of 
whom  it  was  justly  said  that,  "  in  depth  of  judg- 
ment, in  extent  of  learning,  in  purity  of  taste,  in 
the  powers  of  eloquence,  and  in  a  laborious  appli- 
cation to  all  the  various  branches  of  erudition  and 
philosophy,  he  had  certainly  very  few  superiors," 
in  his  long-celebrated  Ecclesiastical  History,  says : 

"  The  sacrament  of  baptism  was  adminis- 
tered in  this  century,  without  the  public  as- 
semblies, in  places  appointed  and  prepared 
for  that  purpose,  and  was  performed  by  im- 
mersion of  the  whole  body  in  the  baptismal 
font."  Cent.  i.  Part,  n.,  Chap.  iv.  §  8. 
"  Those  adults  that  desired  to  be  baptized, 
received  the  sacrament  of  baptism,  accord- 
ing to  the  ancient  and  primitive  manner  of 


TESTIMONY    OF   THE    LUTHERAN    CHURCH.    2  1 

celebrating  that  institution,  even  'by  immer- 
sion."—Cent,  xvil,  §  2,  P.  II.  C.  vii.,  §  1. 

Dr.  M.  G.  Buchner,  in  a  learned  and  popular 
work,  which  has  passed  through  eight  editions, 
being  revised  and  improved  by  Dr.  H.  L.  Heub- 
ner,  Pastor,  Superintendent,  and  first  Director  of 
the  Royal  Theological  Seminary  at  Wittemberg, 
says: 

"  In  the  first  times  persons  to  be  baptiz- 
ed were  immersed,  while  at  the  present  day 
they  are  only  sprinkled  with  water."  And 
on  the  use  of  Taufe  for  baptizo,  in  Matt.  20: 
22,  23,  the  same  authors  say:  "Christ  was, 
as  it  were,  immersed  into  the  deep  of  his 
bloody  sufferings." 

Dr.  Theophilus  C.  Storr,  a  Lutheran  Profes- 
sor of  Theology,  in  the  University  of  Tubingen, 
one*  of  the  most  eminent  divines  of  his  age,  whose 
philological  and  exegetical  works  rank  among 
the  first  critical  productions  of  Germany,  says  : 

"  When  the  Lord  commanded  that  disci- 
ples should  be  baptized  (Matt.  28:  19)  the 
Apostles,  through  those  things  which  had 
gone  before,  could  have  understood  nothing 
else  than  that  men  should  be  immersed  in 
water;  nor  did  they,  in  truth,  understand 
anything  else  but   immersion,  as   is   evident 


22        WAYMARKS   TO    APOSTOLIC    BAPTISM. 

from  the  testimony  of  the  sacred  writings, 
and  from  the  usage  of  the  ancient  Church, 
by  which  immersion  had  been  so  received 
that,  as  yet  in  the  third  century,  the  bap- 
tism of  the  sick,  for  example,  because  it  was 
performed  by  the  affusion  of  water,  was  by 
some  entirely  rejected,  by  others  certainly 
it  was  esteemed  far  less  than  the  baptism  of 
the  rest,  who  were  baptized  in  health,  that 
is,  not  perfused  or  sprinkled  with  the  saluta- 
ry water,  in  the  manner  of  the  sick,  but 
were  bathed.  Otherwise  the  ancient  custom, 
certainly  among  those  who  were  baptized 
in  health,  even  in  the  western  Church,  was 
preserved  a  long  time  ;  aye,  then,  also, 
when  among  some  of  the  western  churches, 
the  ancient  custom  being  changed,  they  had 
introduced  affusion  universally,  there  were 
not  wanting  others  which  continued  to  hold 
the  ancient  custom.  Since  these  things 
were  so,  it  is  altogether  to  be  lamented, 
that  of  the  wishes  which  our  Luther  had 
equally  with  respect  to  the  usage  of  immer- 
sion in  tire  successive  administration  of  bap- 
tism, and  with  respect  to  the  common  use 
of  the  cup  in  the  sacred  supper,  he  was  per- 
mitted to  accomplish  only  the  latter." — 
Doctr.  Christ.  Pars.  Theoret.  e  Sacr.  Lit 
Repet.pp.  313,  314. 


TESTIMONY    OF   THE    LUTHERAN    CHURCH     23 

Dr.  J.  B.  Koppe,  a  distinguished  scholar  of  the 
Lutheran  Church  in  Germany,  in  his  well-known 
and  admirable  edition  of  the  New  Testament,  pub- 
lished at  Gottingen  in  1783,  after  describing  the 
apostle's  reasoning,  at  Rom.  6  :  2,  says: 

"  But  this  reasoning  depends  on  a  cer- 
tain peculiar  usage,  which  men  used  to 
practice,  [namely]  the  rite  of  immersion  in 
the  water  of  baptism,  and  of  egress  out  of 
the  same  as  a  symbol  of  abandoning,  and, 
as  it  were,  laying  aside  the  former  life,  and 
of  ever  afterwards  leading  a  new  life  in  an 
opposite  direction,  and  instituted  according 
to  a  wholly  different  rule." 

Rev.  John  A.  Bexgel,  D.  D.,  a  pious  and 
learned  minister  of  the  Lutheran  Church  in  Ger- 
many, in  his  celebrated  edition  of  the  Greek  New 
Testament,  published  in  1734,  commenting  on  the 
words,  "  much  water,"  John  3  :  23,  says  : 

"  So  the  rite  of  immersion  demanded." 
John  J.  Jcxckherrott,  in  his  German  version  of 
the  New  Testament,  published  in  1732,  and  sold 
by  H.  C.  Schaffer,  of  Offenbach,  renders  baptizo 
by  tauchen,  which  signifies  immerse. 

John  C.  Wolfius,  a  learned  critic  of  Germany, 
in  his  exposition  of  Rom.  6  :  4,  published  at  Ham- 
burgh in  1725, says: 


24        WAYMARKS    TO    APOSTOLIC    BAPTISM. 

"  Formerly  immersion  into  water  furnish- 
ed a  sign  of  burial  in  baptism."  .  .  "  More- 
over, there  have  been  some  of  the  Christian 
teachers,  who  have  thought  that  the  same 
rite  of  immersion  ought  to  be  recalled  into 
use  at  this  day,  lest  that  mystical  significa- 
tion should  perish." 

Benjamin  Hedericus,  whom  Ernesti  pronounces 
"  a  good  man,  and  very  laborious,"  in  his  cele- 
brated Greek  lexicon,  first  published  at  Leipsic  in 
1722,  and  afterwards  successively  revised  by  Pa- 
tricius,  Ernesti,  Morrell  and  Larcher,  defines  bap- 
tizo  thus  : 

"To  merge,  to  immerse,  to  bury  in  wa- 
ter; (2)  to  wash,  to   bathe;  (3)  to  baptize." 

John  D.  Micitaelis,  Chancellor  of  the  Univer- 
sity of  Gottingen,  a  scholar  of  vast  erudition  and 
remarkable  candor,  speaking  of  the  administra- 
tion of  baptism,  says : 

"  The  external  action,  which  Christ  com- 
manded in  baptism,  was  immersion  under 
water.  This  the  word  baptizo  signifies;  as 
every  one  who  knows  the  Greek  will  an- 
swer for.  The  baptism  of  the  Jews  was 
performed  by  immersion;  so  also  was  the 
baptism  of  John,  John  3:  23;  and  there  is 


TESTIMONY    OF   THE    LUTHERAN    CHURCH.    25 

uo  doubt  whatever  that  the  first  Christ- 
ians baptized  in  the  same  manner.  Where- 
of, indeed,  that  is  proof  that  baptism  with- 
out immersion,  and  by  affusion,  barely  with 
the  sick  in  the  third  century  was  allowed,  and 
yet  still  met  with  opposition,  as  something 
new;  against  which  Cyprian  defended  it,  in 
the  case  when  the  necessity  demanded  such 
an  alteration.  Also  the  explanation  which 
Paul  gives  of  baptism,  Rom.  6:  2,  3,  sets 
clearly  before  us  immersion,  and  cannot  be 
applied  to  sprinkling  with  water." 

L.  S.  Deylingius,  in  a  learned  work,  written 
about  1708,  speaking  of  the  harbinger  of  Jesus, 
says : 

"  He  received  the  name,  tou  baptistou, 
from  the  office  of  solemn  ablution  and  immer- 
sion, in  which  he  officiated  by  a  divine  com- 
mand. For  the  word  baptizesthai,  in  the 
usage  of  Greek  authors,  signifies  immersion 
and  demersion."  .  .  .  "  It  bears  the  same  sig- 
nification in  the  Gospels  and  in  the  writings 
of  the  Apostles;  if  you  except  Luke  11:  38, 
where  baptizesthai  seems  to  be  used  of 
washing  the  hands,  done  by  aspersion.  For 
as  long  as  the  Apostles  lived,  as  many  be- 
lieve, immersion  alone  was  in  use  ;  to  which 


26        WAYMARKS    TO    APOSTOLIC    BAPTISM. 

a  certain  affusion  was  afterwards  perhaps 
adjoined;  such  as  the  Greeks  are  at  this 
day,  trine  immersion  being  performed,  ac- 
customed to  use.  At  length,  after  the  de- 
cease of  the  Apostles,  the  baptism  of  clinics 
became  known,  when,  disease  and  other  ex- 
'  treme  necessity  prohibiting  immersion,  asper- 
sion and  affusion  began  to  be  introduced, 
which  in  the  lapse  of  time  were  retained, 
immersion  being  neglected.  For  in  a  later 
age,  when  adults  were  very  seldom  baptiz- 
ed, infants  were  initiated  into  the  sacred  rites 
of  Christians  by  a  fusion  and  aspersion" 
Deylingi  Observat.  Sacr.  Part  in.  Cap. 
xxxvi.,  §2,  Lips.  ed.HOS. 

J.  H.  Reitz,  an  accomplished  scholar  of  Ger- 
many, in  his  German  version  of  the  New  Testa- 
ment, first  published  in  1703,  translates  baptizo 
at  Mark  7  :  4,  and  Luke  11 :  38,  by  eintauchen, 
which  signifies  immerse  ;  aud  baptisma  at  Matt.  3  : 
11,  aud  elsewhere,  by  eintauchung,  which  signifies 
immersion. 

John  Leusden,  an  eminent  professor  of  Hebrew 
at  Utrecht,  in  his  Clavis  of  the  New  Testament, 
published  about  1671,  at  Matt.  3 :  6,  defines  bap- 
tizo thus  : 

"  To  baptize,  to  merge,  to  bathe.    Theme, 


TESTIMONY    OF   THE    LUTHERAN    CHURCH.    27 

bapto,  to  merge;  for  in  former  times  they 
used  to  be  baptized  by  immersion  into  wa- 
ter." 

C.  Schrevelius.  the  celebrated  critic  and  lexi- 
cographer of  Holland,  in  his  Greek  lexicon,  pub- 
lished about  the  time  of  his  death,  in  1667,  defines 
baptizo  thus : 

"  To  baptize,  to  merge,  to  bathe?1 

In  the  former  part  of  the  seventeenth  century 
the  whole  Bible  was  translated  into  the  Dutch  lan- 
guage by  a  number  of  eminent  scholars,  under  the 
direction  of  the  Synod  of  Dort,  at  the  expense  of 
the  States  General ;  which  version  immediately 
came  into  general  use,  and  has  ever  since  con- 
tinued to  be  used,  with  some  slight  revisions,  as  the 
authorized  version  throughout  Holland.  In  this 
baptizo  was  translated  by  the  vernacular  term, 
doopen,  which  Sewel,  in  his  Dutch  and  English  Dic- 
tionary, enlarged  by  Buys,  and  published  at  Am- 
sterdam in  1766,  defines  thus  : 

"  To  dip,  plunge,  baptize,  christen  n 


28        WAYMARKS   TO    APOSTOLIC    BAPTISM. 

SECTION  SIXTH. 

Presbyterians  and  Congregationalists. 

Among  these  immersion  and  sprinkling  are  both 
held  to  be  valid  forms  of  Baptism,  although  the 
former  is  but  seldom  used  by  them,  the  latter  be- 
ing regarded  as  more  convenient  and  becoming  ; 
notwithstanding  the  testimonies  of  their  best  schol- 
ars go  to  prove  that  the  meaning  of  Baptizo  was, 
agreeably  to  the  rite  of  Baptism,  as  administered 
by  the  Apostles,  generally,  if  not  uniformly,  im- 
mersion. 

Rev.  Edward  Robinson,  D.  D.,  in  his  Lexicon  of 
the  New  Testament,  defines  Baptizo  thus  : 

"  To  immerse,  to  sink;  in  N.  T.,  to  cleanse 
by  washing,  to  wash  one's  self,  to  bathe, 
to  perform  ablution;  2.  to  baptize,  to  ad- 
minister the  rite  of  baptism." 

Rev.  Albert  Barnes,  D.  D.,  a  distinguished 
Presbyterian  clergyman,  and  author  of  the  most 
popular  Commentary  on  the  New  Testament,  in 
his  note  on  Rom.  6  :  4,  says : 

"  It  is  altogether  probable  that  the  Apos- 
tle in  this  place,  had  allusion  to  the  custom 
of  baptizing  by  immersion." 


PRESBYTERIANS  AND  CONGREGATION  ALISTS.   29 

Rev.  Lyman  Coleman,  D.  D.,  a  distinguished 
minister,  and  Principal  of  the  Presbyterian  Insti- 
tute in  Philadelphia,  whom  the  renowned  Nean- 
der  styled  his  "  worthy  friend,"  and  whose  work 
on  the  Apostolical  Church  is  endorsed  by  an  In- 
troduction from  that  celebrated  historian,  in  his 
compilation  from  Augusti,  Rheinwald,  Siegel,  and 
others,  says : 

"  Immersion  or  dipping.  In  the  primitive 
Church  this  was  undeniably  the  common 
mode  of  baptism.  The  utmost  that  can  be 
said  of  sprinkling  in  that  early  period  is,  that 
it  was,  in  case  of  necessity,  permitted,  as  an 
exception  to  a  general  rule.  This  fact  is  so 
well  established  that  it  were  needless  to  ad 
duce  authorities  in  proof  of  it."  ...  "  It  is 
a  great  mistake  to  suppose  that  baptism  by 
immersion  was  discontinued  when  infant  bap- 
tism  became  prevalent.  This  was  as  early 
as  the  sixth  century  ;  but  the  practice  of 
immersion  continued  until  the  thirteenth  or 
fourteenth  century.  Indeed,  it  has  never 
been  formally  abandoned,  but  is  still  the 
mode  of  administering  infant  baptism  in  the 
Greek  Church." — Coleman's  Antiq.  Chris. 
Church,  Ch.  xiv.,  §8. 
Rev.  ^Ioses  Stuart,  an  eminent  clergyman  of 


30        WAYMARKS   TO    APOSTOLIC    BAPTISM. 

the  Congregational  Church,  and  late  learned  Pro- 
fessor of  Sacred  Literature  in  the  Theological 
Seminary  at  Andover,  Mass.,  speaking  of  immer- 
sion as  the  primitive  mode  of  baptism,  says : 

" '  It  is/  says  Augusti,  '  a  thing  made 
out :'  viz.,  the  ancient  practice  of  immersion. 
So  indeed  all  the  writers  who  have  thor- 
oughly investigated  the  subject,  conclude. 
I  know  of  no  usage  of  ancient  times,  which 
seems  to  be  more  clearly  and  certainly  made 
out.  I  cannot  see  how  it  is  possible  for  any 
candid  man,  who  examines  the  subject,  to 
deny  this."— Bib.  Repos.,  Apr.,  1833,  p.  359. 

Rev.  Thomas  Chalmers,  D.  D.,  late  Professor  of 
Theology  to  the  University  of  Edinburgh,  Scot- 
land, and  corresponding  member  of  the  Royal  In- 
stitute of  France,  an  accomplished  scholar,  aud 
one  of  the  most  distinguished  Presbyterian  divines 
of  this  century,  in  his  Lecture  on  Rom.  6  :  4, 
says : 

"  The  original  meaning  of  the  word  bap- 
tism is  immersion,  and  though  we  regard  it 
as  a  point  of  indifferency,  whether  the  ordi- 
nance so  named,  be  performed  in  this  way  or 
by  sprinkling,  yet  we  doubt  not,  that  the 
prevalent  style  of  the  administration,  in  the 
Apostles'  days,  was  by  an  actual  submerging 


PRESBYTERIANS  AND  CONGREGATIONALISTS.  31 

of  the  whole  body  under  water."  .... 
"Jesus  Christ,  by  death,  underwent  this  sort 
of  baptism,  even  immersion  under  the  surface 
of  the  ground,  whence  he  soon  emerged  agaiu 
by  his  resurrection.  We,  by  being  baptized 
into  his  death,  are  conceived  to  have  made  a 
similar  translation.  In  the  act  of  descend- 
ing under  the  water  of  baptism,  to  have  re- 
signed an  old  life  ;  and  in  the  act  of  ascend- 
ing, to  emerge  into  a  second  or  a  new  life." 

Eev.  George  Hill,  D.  D„  a  distinguished  min- 
ister of  the  Presbyterian  Church,  and  President  of 
St.  Mary's  College,  St.  Andrews,  speaking  of  the 
connection  between  baptism  and  the  forgiveness 
of  sins,  says : 

"  The  Apostle  Paul,  Rom.  6  :  4,  5,  6, 
illustrates  this  connection  by  an  allusion, 
drawn  from  the  ancient  method  of  adminis- 
tering baptism.  The  immersion  in  water  of 
the  bodies  of  those  who  were  baptized,  is  an 
emblem  of  that  death  unto  sin,  by  which  the 
conversion  of  Christians  is  generally  express- 
ed ;  the  rising  out  of  the  water,  the  breath- 
ing the  air  again,  after  having  for  some  time 
been  in  another  element,  is  an  emblem  of 
that  new  life,  which  Christians,  by  their  pro- 
fession are  bound,  and  by  the  power  of  their 


32        WAYMARKS    TO   APOSTOLIC    BAPTISM. 

religion  are  enabled,  to  lead." — HiWs  Lec- 
tures in  Di.inify,  p.  660. 

Robert  Haldane,  Esq.,  nephew  of  Lord  Dun- 
can, and  a  learned  Scotchman,  in  bis  exposition  of 
Rom.  6  :  3,  4,  says  : 

"The  figure  of  baptism  was  very  early 
mistaken  lor  a  reality,  and,  accordingly, 
some  of  the  fathers  speak  of  the  baptized 
person  as  truly  born  again  in  the  water. 
They  supposed  him  to  go  into  the  water 
with  all  his  sins  upon  him,  and  to  come  out 
of  it  without  them.  This,  indeed,  is  the 
case  with  baptism  figuratively."  .  .  .  . 
"  The  rite  of  baptism  exhibits  Christians  as 
dying,  as  buried,  and  as  risen  with  Christ." 

Rev.  George  Campbell,  D.  D.,  an  eminent  min- 
ister and  scholar  of  the  Presbyterian  Church,  and 
Principal  of  the  Marischal  College  at  Aberdeen, 
Scotland,  in  his  version  of  tbe  Four  Gospels,  trans- 
lates baptlsma  by  immersion,  at  Mark  10  :  38,  39, 
and  Luke  12  :  50  ;  in  his  note. on  Matt.  3  :  11,  and 
his  Prelim.  Dissert,  vm.  p.  2,  §  2,  he  says  : 

"  The  word  baptizein,  both  in  sacred  au- 
thors and  in  classical,  signifies,  to  dip,  to 
plunge,  to  immerse,  and  was  rendered  by  Ter- 
tullian,  the  oldest  of  the  Latin  fathers,  tin- 


PRESBYTERIANS  AND  CONGREGATIONALISTS.  33 

gen,  the  term  used  for  dyeing  cloth,  which 
was  by  immersion.  It  is  always  construed 
suitably  to  this  meaning"  "I  should  think 
the  word  immersion  a  better  English  name 
than  baptism,  were  we  now  at  liberty  to 
make  a  choice." 

Rev.  Philip  Doddridge,  D.  D..  a  distinguished 
Congregationalist  minister  and  commentator,  in 
his  "  Family  Expositor,"  which,  as  has  been  truly 
said,  '-critics  and  scholars,  and  Christians  of  every 
sect  and  party  have  eulogized,"  commenting  on 
Rom.  6  :  4,  says  : 

"  It  seems  the  part  of  candor  to  confess, 
that  here  is  an  allusion  to  baptizing  by  im- 
mersion, as  most  usual  in  these  early  times." 

Rev.  James  Mackxight,  D.  D.,  a  distinguished 
Presbyterian  minister  and  commentator,  of  Scot- 
land, in  his  note  on  Rom.  6  :  4,  says  : 

"  Christ  submitted  to  be  baptized,  that 
is,  to  be  buried  under  the  water  by  John, 
and  to  be  raised  out  of  it  again,  as  an  em- 
blem of  his  future  death  and  resurrection. 
In  like  manner,  the  baptism  of  believers  is 
emblematical  of  their  own  death,  burial,  and 
resurrection." 


34        TVAYMARKS    TO    APOSTOLIC    BAPTISM. 

Rev.  John  Lightfoot,  D.  D.,  one  of  the  most 
distinguished  Biblical  scholars  that  England  ever 
produced,  whose  researches  and  commentaries 
have  been  justly  denominated  "the  grand  store- 
house of  succeeding  annotators,"  and  who  was  the 
champion  of  Presbyterianism,  especially  of  sprink- 
ling for  baptism,  in  the  famous  Westminster  As- 
sembly, under  Charles  I.,  in  1643,  in  his  note  on 
Matt.  3 :  6,  written  some  sixteen  years  after  that 
royal  convocation,  says: 

"That  the  baptism  of  John  was  the  im- 
mersion of  the  body  (in  which  manner  both 
the  ablution  of  unclean  persons,  and  the  bap- 
tism of  proselytes  was  performed)  seems  evi- 
dent from  those  things  which  are  related 
concerning  it ;  namely,  that  he  baptized  in 
the  Jordan,  and  in  Enon,  because  there  was 
much  water,  and  that  Christ  being  baptized 
went  up  out  of  the  water  ;  to  which  the  case 
in  Acts  8  :  38,  seems  parallel.  Philip  and 
the  Eunuch  went  down  into  the  water,  &c. 
And  some  complain  that  this  rite  has  not 
been  preserved  in  the  Christian  Church,  as 
if  that  might  detract  something  from  the 
real  nature  of  the  baptism,  or  might  be  called 
an  innovation,  since  the  aspersion  of  water  is 
employed  in  place  of  immersion^ 


TESTIMONY    OF   THE   METHODISTS.  35 

SECTION   SEVENTH. 

Testimony  of  the  Methodists. 

In  this  denomination  immersion  is  sometimes 
used  for  baptism,  but  their  prevailing  practice  at 
present  is  sprinkling  or  affusion  ;  and  yet  their  best 
scholars  testify  to  immersion  as  the  ancient  manner 
of  administering  the  rite. 

Rev.  Joseph  Benson,  a  celebrated  Methodist 
minister,  whose  commentary  is  exceedingly  popu- 
lar with  that  Church,  in  his  note  on  Rom.  6 :  4, 
adopting  "Wesley's  language  as  his  own,  says  : 

"  '  Therefore,  we  are  buried  with  him.' 
Alluding  to  the  ancient  manner  of  baptizing 
by  immersion.''1 

Rev.  John  "Wesley,  the  distinguished  founder 
of  the  Methodist  denomination,  and  a  man  of 
learning,  in  his  English  version  of  the  New  Test- 
ament, published  by  the  Methodist  Book  Concern 
of  New-York,  in  a  note  upon  the  phrase,  "  We  are 
buried  with  him,"  Rom.  6  :  4,  says: 

"  Alluding  to  the  ancient  manner  of  bap- 
tizing by  immersion" 


36        WAYMARKS   TO    APOSTOLIC    BAPTISM. 

Mr.  "Wesley  seems  to  have  administered  the 
ordinance  of  baptism  after  this  "  ancient  manner ;" 
for,  in  his  Journal,  as  published  by  the  Methodist 
Book  Concern,  under  dates  of  Feb.  21  and  May  5, 
1736,  he  says : 

"  Mary  Welch,  aged  eleven  days,  was 
baptized  according  to  the  custom  of  the 
first  Church,  and  the  rule  of  the  Church  of 
England,  by  immersion.  The  child  was  ill 
then,  but  recovered  from  that  hour."  "  I 
was  asked  to  baptize  a  child  of  Mr.  Park- 
er's, second  bailiff  of  Savannah  ;  but  Mrs. 
Parker  told  me,  '  Neither  Mr.  P.  nor  I  will 
consent  to  its  being  dipped.1  I  answered,  '  If 
you  certify  that  your  child  is  weak,  it  will 
suffice  (the  rubric  says)  to  pour  water  upon 
it.'  She  replied,  '  Nay,  the  child  is  not 
weak,  but  I  am  resolved  it  shall  not  be 
dipped1  This  argument  I  could  not  confute  ; 
so  1  went  home,  and  the  child  was  baptized 
by  another  person." 

And  not  long  afterwards  one  Causton  made  a 
complaint  against  Mr.  Wesley  before  the  Grand 
Jury  of  Savannah,  Ga.,  charging  him  with  having 
"  broken  the  laws  of  the  realm,  contrary  to  the 
peace  of  our  Sovereign  lord  the  king,  his  crown 
and  dignity,"  "  by  refusing  to  baptize  Mr.  Park- 


TESTIMONY    OF   THE    METHODISTS.  37 

er's  child,  otherwise  than  by  dipping,  except  the 
parents  would  certify  it  was  weak,  and  not  able  to 
bear  it ;"  on  which  charge  Mr.  Wesley  was  pre- 
sented to  the  court  for  trial,  though  twelve  of  the 
Jury  opposed  the  presentment,  considering  him 
''justified  by  the  rubric."' — Wesley's  Works,  vol. 
m.,pp.  20,  24,  42,  New-York  edit.,  1840. 

Rev.  George  Whitefield,  an  early  associate  of 
the  Wesleys,  and  one  of  the  founders  of  the  Meth- 
odist Church,  and  the  prime  leader  of  the  Calvin- 
istic  Methodists,  says : 

"It  is  certain,  that  in  the  words  of  our 
text,  there  is  an  allusion  to  the  manner  of 
baptism,  which  was  by  immersion,  wrhich  our 
own  Church  allows,  and  insists  upon  it,  that 
children  should  be  immersed  in  water,  unless 
those  that  bring  the  children  to  be  baptized 
assure  the  minister  that  they  cannot  bear 
the  plunging.11 — Whitefield 's  Sermons,  xiii., 
p.  197,  Boston  edit.,  1820. 

Rev.  Adam  Clarke,  LL.  D.,  a  celebrated  com- 
mentator of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  and 
a  critic  of  the  highest  authority  in  that  connec- 
tion, in  his  notes  on  John  3:23,  says : 

"  As  the  Jewish  custom  required  the  per- 
sons to  stand  in  the  water,  and  having  been 


38        WAYMARKS    TO    APOSTOLIC    BAPTISM. 

instructed,  and  entered  into  a  covenant  to 
renounce  all  idolatry,  and  take  the  God  of 
Israel  for  their  God,  then  plunge  themselves 
under  the  water,  it  is  probable  that  the  rite 
was  thus  administered  at  iEnou."  And  on 
Rom.  6:4,  he  says  :  "  It  is  probable  that 
the  Apostle  here  alludes  to  the  mode  of  ad- 
ministering baptism  by  immersion,  the  whole 
body  being  put  under  the  water." 


SECTION  EIGHTH. 

Testimony  of  the  Episcopalians. 

Rev.  W.  J.  Conybeare,  a  member  of  the  Estab- 
lished Church  of  England,  and  late  Fellow  of 
Trinity  College,  Cambridge,  Eng.,  in  the  recent 
work  of  Conybeare  and  Howson,  which  has  already 
given  its  authors  a  high  place  among  the  first  bib- 
lical critics  of  the  present  age,  says: 

"  It  is  needless  to  add  that  baptism  was 
(unless  in  exceptional  cases)  administered 
by  immersion,  the  convert  being  plunged  be- 
neath the  surface  of  the  water,  to  represent 
his  death  to  the  life  of  sin,  and  then  raised 
from  this  momentary  burial  to  represent  his 


TESTIMONY  OF  THE  EPISCOPALIANS.         39 

resurrection  to  the  life  of  righteousness.  It 
must  be  a  subject  of  regret  that  the  general 
discontinuance  of  this  form  of  baptism 
(though  perhaps  necessary  in  our  northern 
climates)  has  rendered  obscure  to  popular 
apprehension  some  very  important  passages 
of  scripture. — Life  and  Epist.  of  Paul,  vol. 
i.,  p.  471.  The  same  author,  in  his  note  on 
Rom.  6  :  4,  says  :  "This  passage  cannot  be 
understood  unless  it  be  borne  in  mind  that 
the  primitive  baptism  was  by  immersion." 

Rev.  S.  T.  Bloomfield,  D.  D.,  F.  S.  A.,  Vicar  of 
Bisbrooke,  Rutland,  an  eminent  scholar,  thor- 
oughly conversant  with  all  the  principal  com- 
mentators, ancient  and  modern,  who  styles  himself, 
"  a  faithfully  attached  son  of  the  Church  of  Eng- 
land," in  his  "Recens  Synoptica,  or  Critical  Di- 
gest," at  Matt.  3  :  G  ;  20  :  22,  and  Rom.  6  :  4,  says: 

"This,  with  the  Jews,  was  always  effect- 
ed, not  by  sprinkling,  but  by  immersion." 
"This  metaphor  of  immersion  in  water,  as 
expressive  of  being  overwhelmed  by  afflic- 
tion, is  frequent  both  in  the  Scriptures  and 
classical  writers."  "  There  is  a  plain  allusion 
to  the  ancient  custom  of  baptism  by  immer- 
sion, and  I  agree  with  Koppe  and  Rbsen- 
muller   that  there  is  reason  to  regret  it 


40        WAYMARKS   TO    APOSTOLIC    BAPTISM. 

should  have  been  abandoned  in  most  Christ- 
ian Churches,  especially  as  it  has  so  evidently 
a  reference  to  the  mystic  sense  of  baptism." 

Sir  Lancelot  C.  L.  Brenton,  in  his  English 
version  of  the  Septuagint,  the  Greek  Old  Testa- 
ment, published  at  London,  by  the  Bagsters,  in 
1844,  renders  baptizo,  '■dip.'1 

Samuel  Johnson,  LL.  D.,  the  pious  and  learned 
lexicographer,  according  to  Boswell.  his  well- 
informed  biographer,  used  to  argue,  though  him- 
self an  Episcopalian,  in  defence  of  some  of  the  pe- 
culiar tenets  of  the  Church  of  Rome  ;  and  as  to 
giving  the  bread  only  to  the  laity,  said  : 

"  They  may  think  that  in  what  is  merely 
ritual,  deviations  from  the  primitive  mode 
may  be  admitted  on  the  ground  of  conven- 
ience ;  and  I  think  they  are  as  well  warrant- 
ed 4,0  make  this  alteration  as  we  are  to  sub- 
stitute sprinkling  in  room  of  the  ancient 
baptism." — Life  of  Johnson,  vol.  viii.,  p.  291, 
Murray's  London  edit. 

Jeremiah  Markland,  a  learned  and  celebrated 
critic,  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church,  in  his 
Biblical  criticisms,  as  given  in  Bowyer's  Conjec- 
tures, distinguishes  poterion,  cup,  from  baptisma, 
when  used  in  a  metaphorical  sense,  thus : 


TESTIMONY  OF  THE  EPISCOPALIANS.         41 

11  By  this  latter  [baptisma]  is  meant  death, 
a  total  immersion  in  afflictions  ;  as  when  all 
thy  storms  and  waves  have  gone  over  me  ; 
by  the  former  a  smaller  portion  of  distress, 
less  than  death.  The  distinction  is  made  in 
Matt.  20  :  22,  and  elsewhere  ;  and  by  all 
the  Evangelists  in  this  place." 

Rev.  Thomas  Sherlock,  D.  D.,  a  learned  prelate 
of  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church  of  England, 
who  was  successively  dean  of  Chichester,  and 
bishop  of  Bangor,  Salisbury  and  London,  and 
whoin  Middleton  styled  "the  principal  champion 
and  ornament  of  both  Church  and  University," 
gays : 

11  Baptism,  or  our  immersion  into  water, 
according  to  the  ancient  rite  of  administer- 
ing it,  is  a  figure  of  our  burial  with  Christ, 
and  of  our  conformity  to  his  death,  and  so 
signifies  our  dying  to  sin,  and  walking  in 
newness  of  life." — See  Bloomfield  Cr'it.  Dig., 
vol.  v.,  p.  537. 

Rev.  Joseph  Bingham,  a  minister  of  the  Church 
of  England,  whose  learning  and  integrity  have 
rendered  the  results  of  his  ecclesiastical  researches 
worthy  of  the  highest  esteem  and  confidence,  and 
to  whom  Dr.  Lowth  attributed  "  great  and  ines- 


42        WAYMARKS    TO    APOSTOLIC    BAPTISM. 

tirnable  merits,"  in  his  invaluable  "Antiquities  of 
the  Christian  Church,"  which,  on  account  of  its 
excellence,  was  translated  in  one  of  the  German 
Universities,  and  published  in  Latin  by  Grischon- 
ius,  after  the  author's  death,  speaking  of  baptism, 
as  practiced  in  the  early  ages,  says : 

The  candidates  "were  usually  baptized  by 
immersion,  or  dipping  of  their  whole  bodies 
under  water." — Antiq.  Christ.  Ch.,  B.  xi., 

Rev.  William  Burkitt,  a  minister  of  the  Church 
of  England,  and  a  celebrated  commentator  on  the 
New  Testament,  in  his  notes  on  Rom.  6  :  4,  says : 

"The  Apostle  alludes,  no  doubt,  to  the 
ancient^ manner  and  way  of  baptizing  per- 
sons in  those  hot  countries,  which  was  by 
immersion,  or  putting  them  under  water  for 
a  time,  and  then  raising  them  up  again  out 
of  the  water  ;  which  rite  had  also  a  mystical 
signification,  representing  the  burial  of  our 
old  man,  sin  in  us,  and  our  resurrection  to 
newness  of  life." 

Rev.  Daniel  Whitby,  D.  D.,  a  minister  of  the 
Church  of  England,  distinguished  alike  for  learn- 
ing and  piety,  "well  read,"  says  Wood,  the  cele- 
brated antiquarian,  "  in  the  fathers,  and  in  polem- 


TESTIMONY  OF  THE  EPISCOPALIANS.        43 

ical  divinity,"  in  his  commentary  on  the  New  Test- 
ament, which  was  first  published  in  1703,  and  has 
continued  for  more  than  a  century  as  the  princi- 
pal commentary  iu  general  use  among  the  English 
clergy,  commenting  on  Rom.  6  :  4,  says : 

"  It  being  so  expressly  declared  here,  and 
Col.  2  :  12,  that  we  are  buried  with  Christ 
in  baptism,  by  being  buried  under  water,  and 
the  argument  to  oblige  us  to  conformity  to 
his  death,  by  dying  to  sin,  being  taken 
hence,  and  this  immersion  being  religiously 
observed  by  Christians  for  thirteen  centu- 
ries, and  approved  by  our  Church,  and  the 
change  of  it  to  sprinkling,  even  without  any 
allowance  from  the  author  of  this  institu- 
tion, or  any  license  from  any  Council  of  the 
Church,  being  that  which  the  Romanist  still 
urgeth  to  justify  his  refusal  of  the  cup  to  the 
laity  ;  it  were  to  be  wished  that  the  custom 
might  be  again  in  general  use." 

Sir  Norton  Kxatchbul,  a  learned  and  candid 
critic,  in  his  paraphrase  of  1  Cor.  15 :  29,  translates 
baptizo  by  immergo,  thus  : 

11  Why  are  they  immersed  for  the  dead, 
that  is,  as  dead,  if  not  that  by  the  emersion 
from  the  water,  (which  is  a  type  of  the  res- 
urrection after  burial,)  they  may  be  assured 


44        WAYMARKS   TO    APOSTOLIC    BAPTISM. 

that,  if  they  also  themselves  rise  from  death 
in  sins  to  newness  of  life,  they  will  also,  after 
death,  rise  with  Christ  into  glory." — Note 
to  1  Pet.  3:  21. 

Rev.  William  Cave,  D.  D.,  chaplain  to  Charles 
II..  and  canon  of  Windsor,  and  a  learned  writer  on 
persons  and  affairs  of  the  Apostolic  age,  describ- 
ing the  action  of  baptism  in  the  primitive  Church, 
says : 

"  The  party  to  be  baptized  was  wholly 
immerged,  or  put  under  water,  which  was  the 
almost  constant  and  universal  custom  of 
those  times." — Prim.  Christ.,  pp.  155,  156, 
Oxf.  edit.,  1840. 

Rev.  George  Waddixgton,  in  his  Church  His- 
tory, chapter  n. ,  §  3,  says  : 

"The  ceremony  of  immersion  (the  oldest 
form  of  baptism)  was  performed  in  the  name 
of  the  three  persons  in  the  Trinity." 

Rev.  William  Trollope,  M.  A.,  of  Pembroke 
College,  Cambridge,  Eng.,  in  his  Anal.  Theol., 
Rom.  6  :  4,  says  : 

"  The  Christian  convert  could  not  be  ig- 
norant, being  of  course  previously  instructed 
in  the  typical  nature  of  baptism,  that  in  that 
rite  the  immersion  of  the  body,  in  imitation 


TESTIMONY  OF  THE  EPISCOPALIANS.         45 

of  Christ's  death  and  burial  for  sin,  implies 
an  engagement  on  the  part  of  the  baptized 
to  die  to  sin  ;  and  the  rising  from  the  water, 
in  imitation  of  his  resurrection,  implies  the 
commencement  of  a  new  life  pledged  to  vir- 
tue and  holiness." 

Rev.  Abraham  Rees,  D.  D.,  Professor  of  Theol- 
ogy in  Hackney  College,  and  a  fellow  of  the  Royal 
Society,  edited  the  enlarged  edition  of  Chambers' 
Cyclopedia,  and  subsequently  a  still  more  exten- 
sive work,  universally  known  as  "  Rees:  Cyclope- 
dia," in  which  it  is  said : 

"Baptism,  in  Thtdogy ;  formed  from  the 
Greek  baptizo,  of  bapto,  I  dip  or  plunge,  a 
rite  or  ceremony  by  which  persons  are  initi- 
ated into  the  profession  of  the  Christian  re- 
ligion." .  .  .  "In  the  primitive  times, 
this  ceremony  was  performed  by  immersion, 
as  it  is  to  this  day  in  the  oriental  Churches, 
according  to  the  original  signification  of  the 
word.  However,  it  is  not  improbable,  that 
when  great  numbers  were  to  be  baptized  at 
the  same  time,  the  water  was  applied  by 
sprinkling,  which  was  a  practice  sufficiently 
familiar  to  the  Jews." — Art.  Bap.,  Lond. 
edit.,  1819. 

William  Greenfield,  who  declared  that  he  was 


46        WAYMARKS   TO    APOSTOLIC    BAPTISM. 

"not  a  Baptist  nor  the  son  of  a  Baptist,"  but  who 
was  a  remarkable  linguist,  an  honorary  member  of 
the  Royal  Asiatic  Society,  and  Superintendent  of 
the  Translating  and  Editorial  Department  of  the 
British  and  Foreign  Bible  Society,  which,  after 
his  death,  accorded  to  him  the  tribute  of  "  sound 
learning,  critical  judgment,  and  a  constant  per- 
ception of  the  duty  of  faithful  adherence  to  the 
very  letter  of  the  sacred  original,-'  in  his  masterly 
Defence  of  the  Mahratta  Version,  says : 

"  The  term  immerse,  or  what  is  equivalent 
to  it,  appears  the  only  term  which  can  be 
properly  employed  as  a  translation  of  the 
Greek  word  baptizo." 

Greenfield,  in  his  Lexicon  of  the  Mew  Testa- 
ment, defines  the  Greek  baptizo  thus  : 

"  To  immerse,  immerge,  submerge,  sink;  in 
N.  T.  to  wash*  perform  ablution,  cleanse;  to 
immerse,  baptize,  administer  the  rite  of  bap- 


*  Greenejet  d,  in  his  Defence  of  the  Mahratta  Version,  ex- 
plaining the  term  '  wash,'  says  . — "It  is  evident,  that  to 
WASH  the  body  or  person,  without  specifying  any  particular 
part  of  the  body,  must  necessarily  denote  to  bathe,  which 
clearly  implies  immersion." 

Titthan.v,  also,  an  eminent  German  critic,  in  his  Syn.  X. 
Test.,  speaking  of  the  Greek  words  louo  and  nipto,  says  :— 
"  They  differ  as  our  baden  [bathe]  and  washe.v  [wash]. 
Niptesthai,  therefore,  is  spoken  of  any  part  of  the  body,  not 
simply  of  the  feet  or  hands  ;  Lousasthai  of  the  whole  body. 
Acts  9  :  37  ;  Compare  Horn.  II.  o.  n.  582." 


TESTIMONY  OF  THE  EPISCOPALIANS.  4t 

Jeremy  Taylor,  D.  D.,  a  bishop,  and  one  of  the 
brightest  luminaries  of  the  English  Church,  who, 
according  to  Dr.  Rust,  "had  the  good  humor  of  a 
gentleman,  the  eloquence  of  an  orator,  the  fancy  of 
a  poet,  the  acuteness  of  a  schoolman,  the  profound- 
ness of  a  philosopher,  the  wisdom  of  a  chancellor, 
the  sagacity  of  a  prophet,  the  reason  of  an  angel, 
and  the  piety  of  a  saint,"  in  his  "  Ductor  Dubi- 
tantium,"  a  book  which  Wood  says,  "  is  alone  able 
to  give  its  author  immortality,"  says : 

"  The  custom  of  the  ancient  churches  was 
not  sprinkling,  but  immersion  ;  in  pursuance 
of  the  sense  of  the  word  (baptize)  ,in  the 
commandment,  and  the  example  of  our 
blessed  Savior." — B.  hi.,  C.  iv.,  Rule  15. 

A  Body  of  learned  Divines,  appointed  by  the 
same  Parliament  that  convoked  the  "Westminster 
Assembly,  and  composed  in  part  of  the  same  per- 
sons, in  a  celebrated  work,  entitled  '-Annotations 
on  the  Bible,"  comment  on  Rom.  G  :  4,  and  Col. 
2  :  12,  as  follows : 

"  In  this  phrase,  the  Apostle  seemeth  to 
allude  to  the  ancient  manner  of  baptism, 
which  was  to  dip  the  parties  baptized,  and, 
as  it  were,  to  bury  them  under  the  water." 


48        WAYMARKS    TO    APOSTOLIC    BAPTISM. 

SECTION  NINTH. 

Testimony  of  the  Roman  Catholics. 

Rev.  Francis  P.  Kenrick,  D.  D.,  late  Catholic 
Bishop  of  Philadelphia,  now  of  Baltimore,  of  whom 
Cardinal  Wiseman  says  :  "  His  varied  and  exten- 
sive learning,  his  great  researches,  his  distinguish- 
ed abilities,  and  his  sound  orthodoxy,  combined 
with  his  high  position  in  the  Church,  must  give 
weight  to  all  that  he  publishes  ;"  and  any  work  of 
whom,  the  Cardinal  says,  "  must  be  received  with 
interest  and  with  respect,  by  every  Catholic  who 
speaks  the  English  language  ;"  in  his  translation 
of  the  New  Testament,  retains  "  baptize,"  in  the 
text,  but  makes  this  marginal  rendering  and  re- 
mark at  Matt.  3:6: 

"  Immersed.  This  is  the  obvious  force  of 
the  term." 

Rev.  N.  Wiseman.  D.  D.,  an  eminent  oriental 
scholar,  pro-rector  to  the  English  College  at  Rome, 
and  cardinal  of  the  Roman  Church,  says : 

"We 'retain  the  name  of  baptism,  which 
means  immersion,  though  the  rite  is  no  longer 
performed  by  it.     We  cling  to  names  that 


TESTIMONY  OF  THE  ROMAN  CATHOLICS.     49 

have  their  rise  in  the  fervor  and  glory  of  the 
past ;  we  are  not  easily  driven  from  the 
recollections  which  hang  even  upon  sylla- 
bles." 

Dr.  F.  Brexxer,  a  distinguished  writer,  of  the 
Roman  Church,  in  a  learned  work,  published  in 
1818,  says  : 

"Thirteen  hundred  years,  baptism  was 
generally  and  ordinarily  an  immersion  of  the 
person  under  water,  and  only  in  extraordin- 
ary cases,  a  sprinkling  or  pouring  with  wa- 
ter ;  the  latter,  as  a  mode  of  baptism,  was, 
moreover,  called  in  question,  aye,  even  for- 
bidden. Now  baptism  is  generally  and 
ordinarily  a  pouring  of  the  person  with  wa- 
ter ;  and  only  in  the  Church  of  Milan  [the 
Ambrosian  church]  immersion  still  continues, 
as  something  peculiar  to  this  church  alone, 
and  extraordinary ;  elsewhere  it  would  be 
punishable." — Brenner's  Gesch.  fyc,  p.  306. 

Dr.  Brexxer,  elsewhere  in  the  same  work, 
speaking  of  sprinkling  or  pouring,  as  practiced  for 
baptism  in  Italy  and  France  before  the  close  of  the 
sixth  century,  says  it  was  allowed  only  in  special 
cases : 

"When,  for  example,  there  was  no  suit- 


50        WAYMARKS    TO   APOSTOLIC    BAPTISM. 

able  place  for  immersion,  or  the  candidate 
was  seized  with  a  severe  sickness,  making 
immersion  impossible ;  although  otherwise 
even  the  bed-ridden  sick  were  immersed." — 
.  15. 

Rev.  John  Lixgard,  D.  D.,  in  his  Antiquities  of 
the  Anglo-Saxon  Church,  p.  118,  Am.  edit.,  a  work 
highly  recommended  by  Bishop  Kenrick,  speaking 
of  the  person  baptized,  says : 

"  He  was  plunged  into  the  water,  the 
mysterious  words  were  pronounced,  and  he 
emerged." 

Lewis  Anthony  Muratori,  an  Italian  writer, 
who  left  behind  him  such  monuments  of  universal 
knowledge  and  intense  application  as  the  life  and 
strength  of  one  man  would  scarcely  seem  able  to 
accomplish,  and  who  enjoyed  the  highest  favor  of 
the  Roman  Church,  under  Benedict  XIV.,  says  : 

"  But  here  the  Ambrosian  rite  in  bap- 
tizing should  by  no  means  be  concealed. 
For  the  Ambrosian  priests  baptize,  not  by 
ablution,  as  the  Romans  now  do,  but  by  a 
certain  species  of  immersion.  For  the  infant 
being  taken  with  the  hands,  they  immerse  the 
back  part  of  its  head  three  times  in  the  sal- 
utary water  in  the  form  of  a  cross ;  which 


PROMISCUOUS   TESTIMONIES.  Si 

vestige  of  the  most  ancient  and  formerly 
everywhere-used  immersion  endures  to  this 
time." — Murat.  Ital.  Antiq.  Med.  Aev.,  Vol. 
iv.,  Dis.  57. 


SECTION   TENTH 

Promiscuous  Testimonies. 

Lieut.  Lynch,  under  a  commission  from  the 
United  States,  in  his  Expedition  to  the  Dead  Sea, 
in  1848,  speaking  of  "El  Meshra,"  which  he 
styles  "  the  bathing  place  of  Christian  pilgrims," 

says : 

"  It  is  consecrated  by  tradition  as  the 
place  where  the  Israelites  passed  over  with 
the  Ark  of  the  Covenant,  aud  where  our 
blessed  Savior  was  baptized  by  John." 
"  Tradition,  sustained  by  the  geographical 
features  of  the  country,  makes  this  the  scene 
of  the  baptism  of  the  Redeemer."  "  And  as 
the  ford  probably  derived  its  name  from  the 
passage  of  the  Israelites  with  the  Ark  of 
the  Covenant,  the  inference  is  not  unreason- 
able, that  this  spot  has  been  doubly  hallow- 


52        WAYMARKS   TO    APOSTOLIC   BAPTISM. 

ed."  And  speaking  of  a  caravan  of  Christ- 
ian pilgrims,  who  came,  while  he  was  on  the 
ground,  to  commemorate  the  Savior's  bap- 
tism, lie  says :  "  each  one  plunged  himself,  or 
was  dipped  by  another,  three  times  below 
the  surface,  in  honor  of  the  Trinity." — 
Lynctis  Expedition,  pp.  255,  263. 

Dr.  Tischexdorf,  a  biblical  critic  of  the  first 
class,  in  his  edition  of  the  Greek  text,  published 
at  Leipsic  in  1850,  as  does  Dr.  Theile,  of  Leipsic, 
puts  over  the  third  chapter  of  Matthew  this  head- 
ing : 

"Immersio  Jesu,"  immersion  of  Jesus. 

From  these  examples  it  must  be  inferred  that 
Drs.  Theile  and  Tischendorf  regard  the  Greek 
word  baptisma,  or  baptismos,  as  signifying  immer- 
sion. 

Fraxcis  Passow,  in  his  lexicon,  as  revised  by 
Rost  and  Palm,  defires  baptizo  thus  : 

"  (1)  To  immerse  often  and  repeatedly,  to 
submerge  ;  hence  to  moisten,  wet,  water  ;  (2) 
to  draw  water;  (3)  to  baptize,  mid.,  to 
lathe  one's  self  to  wash." 

Professors  Liddell  and  Scott,  in  their  Greek 
lexicon,  based  upon  that  of  Francis  Passow,  define 
baptizo  thus : 


PROMISCUOUS    TESTIMONIES.  53 

"I  To  dip  repeatedly  ;  to  sink;  to  bathe. 
II.  To  draw  water,  Plut.  Alex.,  47.     III. 

TO  BAPTIZE,    N.  T." 

It  should  be  observed  that  the  definitions,  "lo 
pour  upon,  drench,-''  which  appeared  in  the  first 
English  edition  of  Liddell  and  Scott,  and  in  the 
first  American,  by  Prof.  Drisler,  have  been  given 
up  and  discarded  by  both  the  authors  and  the 
American  editor,  and,  therefore,  they  do  not  ap- 
pear in  the  second  editions  of  that  work.  The 
definition,  "to  draw  water"  is  based  on  the  use  of 
baptizo  by  Plutarch,  in  his  life  of  Alexander, 
where,  speaking  of  a  bacchanalian  procession  in 
Carmania,  he  says : 

"  In  the  whole  company  there  was  not  to 
be  seen  a  buckler,  a  helmet,  or  spear  ;  but 
all  the  way,  the  soldiers  baptizing  with  cups, 
flagons,  and  goblets,  out  of  large  casks  and 
urns,  drank  to  each  other  ;  some  as  they 
went  marching  along,  and  others  as  they 
were  reclining  at  tables." 

And  nothing  can  be  more  obvious  than  that 
baptizing  is  here  used  in  the  sense  of  dipping,  and 
furnishes  not  the  slightest  authority  for  the  defin- 
ition, "  to  draw  water." 

Dr.  James  Donnegan,  in  his  well-known  Greek 
lexicon,  defines  baptizo  thus : 


54        WAYMARKS   TO    APOSTOLIC    BAPTISM. 

"  To  immerse  repeatedly  into  a  liquid  ;  to 
submerge  ;  to  soak  thoroughly;  to  saturate." 

John  G.  Rosenmuller,  a  learned  critic  of  the 
Lutheran  Church,  in  his  scholia  on  Matt.  3 :  6, 
and  Rom.  6  :  4,  says  : 

"  To  baptize  is  to  immerse,  to  dip;  the  bo- 
dy, or  the  part  of  the  body  which  is  to  be 
baptized,  going  under  the  water."  "Immer- 
sion in  the  water  of  baptism,  and  the  com- 
ing out  of  the  same,  was  a  sign  that  the  old 
life  had  been  abandoned  and  a  new  one,  in 
the  opposite  direction,  established.  Hence 
it  was  customary  for  those  baptized  to  be 
spoken  of  on  the  one  hand  as  dead  and  bur- 
ied, on  the  other,  as  resuscitated  again  into  a 
new  life.  The  learned  rightly  admonish  us 
that,  on  account  of  this  mystical  sense  of 
baptism,  the  rite  of  immersion  ought  to  have 
been  retained  in  the  Christian  Church." 

Sir  John  Floyer,  a  learned  physician  and  med- 
ical writer  of  England,  in  his  treatise  on  the  vir- 
tues of  cold  water,  written  near  the  end  of  the 
seventppiith  century,  says  : 

"  The  church  of  Rome  hath  drawn  short 
compendiums  of  both  sacraments  ;  in  the 
eucharist  they  use  only  the  wafer  ;  and  in- 
stead of  immersion,  they  introduced  aspersion. 


MISCELLANEOUS   TESTIMONIES.  55 

"  I  have  given  now  what  testimony  I  could  find 
in  our  English  authors,  to  the  practice  of  immersion 
from  the  time  the  Britons  and  Saxons  were  bap- 
tized, till  King  James's  days  ;  when  the  people 
grew  peevish  with  all  ancient  ceremonies,  and 
through  the  love  of  novelty,  and  the  niceness  of 
parents,  and  the  pretence  of  modesty,  they  laid 
aside   immersion." 

De  Stourdza,  a  native  Greek  Scholar,  says  : 
"  The  distinctive  character  of  the  institution  of 
baptism  is  immersion,  baptisma,  which  cannot  be 
omitted  without  destroying  the  emblematical 
meaning  of  the  sacred  rite,  and  without  contra- 
dicting, at  the  same  time,  the  etymological  mean- 
ing of  the  word,  which  serves  to  designate  it." 
Consid.  sur  la  Doct.  el  V  Esp.  de  V  Egl.  Orth.  p.  87. 

Louis  F.  Klipstein,  aa.  ll.  m.  ph.  d.,  in  the  Uni- 
versity of  Giessen,  speaking  of  baptism  among 
the  Anglo-Saxons,  says  :  "  The  mode  of  adminis- 
tering the  ordinance  was  by  immersion." — Anal. 
Angl.  Sax.,  vol.  I. p.  376. 

H.  A.  Schott,  in  his  Latin  version  of  the  New 
Testament,  published  in  1825,  invariably  trans- 
lates baptizo  by  immergo,  immerse. 

G.  S.  Jaspis,  in  his  Latin  version  of  the  Epis- 
tles, as  revised  in  1821,  invariably  renders  bapti- 
zo by  tingo,  d>p,  and  immergo,  immerse,  and  other 
equivalent  vernacular  words. 

H.  G.  Reichard,  in  his  Latin  version  of  the  New 
Testameut,  published  in  1799,  invariably  trans- 
lates baptizo  by  tingo,  dip,  immergo,  immerse,  lavo, 
bathe,  or  vernacular  words  of  like  import. 

Bretschxeider.  in  his  able  treatise  on.  the  Doc- 
trines of  the  Lutheran  Church,  vol.  n.  p.  657, 


56         WAYMARKS  TO  APOSTOLIC  BAPTISM 

says  :  "  To  the  existence  of  baptism  belongs  the 
entire  immersion  under  the  water."  In  his  N.  T. 
lexicon  he  defines  baptizo  "  to  dip  in  frequently, 
to  bathe  frequently,  thence  to  bathe,  wash  simply, 
to  immerse  into  water,  to  submerge." 

J.  P.  Schleusner,  in  his  N.  T.  lexicon  of  1791, 
defines  baptizo  "  to  immerse  and  dip  in,  to  plunge 
into  water,  to  wash,  bathe,  cleanse  in  water." 

C.  Shoetgex.  in  his  N.  T.  lexicon  of  1746,  the 
best  ever  made  before  Schleusner's,  defines  bap- 
tizo "  to  merge,  to  immerse,  to  wash,  to  bathe,  to 
baptize." 

J.  C.  Sutcer,  in  his  Thesaurus  of  the  Greek 
Fathers,  published  about  1G59,  defines  baptizo 
"  to  immerse,  to  wash." 

Charles  Anthon,  LL.D..  Professor  of  Greek 
and  Latin  in  Columbia  College,  speaking  of  bap- 
tizo, in  a  letter  to  Dr.  Parmly.  says :  "  The  pri- 
mary meaning  is  to  dip  or  immerse ;  and  its 
secondary  meanings,  if  ever  it  had  any,  all  refer 
in  some  way  or  other  to  the  same  leading  idea. 
Sprinkling,  &c,  are  entirely  out  of  the  question." 
— R.  Fuller  on  Baptism,  p.  45. 

"  In  the  Assembly  of  Divines  held  at  West- 
minster in  1643,  it  was  keenly  debated  whether 
immersion  or  sprinkling  should  be  adopted  ;  twenty- 
five  voted  for  sprinkling,  and  twenty-four  for  im- 
mersion;  and  even  this  small  majority  was  ob- 
tained at  the  earnest  request  of  Dr.  Light  foot, 
who  had  acquired  great  influence  in  that  Assem- 
bly."— Edinburgh  Encyclopedia,  Art.  Bapt,  Phil, 
ed..  1832. 


PAET  SECOND. 


This  part  extends  from  the  Westminster  Assem- 
bly, in  1643,  to  the  time  when,  as  the  learned  Bas- 
nage  says,  "  the  Legislature,  in  a  Council  at  Ra- 
venna, in  the  year  1311,  declared  dipping  or  sprink- 
ling indifferent." 


SECTION    FIRST. 

Testimony  of  Lutherans. 

Elias  Hutter,  a  celebrated  linguist,  and  Pro- 
fessor of  Hebrew  at  Leipsic,  in  the  first  transla- 
tion of  the  New  Testament  into  Hebrew,  of  which 
we  have  any  account,  published  in  a  Polyglot  of 
twelve  languages,  at  Nuremberg  in  1599,  render- 
ed the  Greek  word  baptizo  by  the  Hebrew  taval, 


58        WAYMARKS    TO    APOSTOLIC    BAPTISM. 

which,  plainly  and  unequivocally  signifies  to  im- 
merse. 

Philip  Melancthon,  one  of  the  wisest  and 
greatest  men  of  his  times,  Professor  of  Greek  in 
the  University  of  Wittemberg,  author  of  the  Augs- 
burg Confession  of  Faith  of  1530,  and  afterwards 
of  the  Confession  of  the  Saxon  Churches  of  1551, 
one  of  the  deputies  appointed  by  the  Elector  of 
Saxony  to  the  Council  of  Trent,  the  intimate  friend 
and  coadjutor  of  Luther,  in  the  Reformation,  es- 
pecially in  translating  the  Bible,  whose  hatred  for 
controversy  was  surpassed,  only  by  his  love  of 
truth,  defines  the  Christian  rite  thus 

"  Baptism  is  immersion  into  water,  which 
is  made  with  this  admirable  benediction:  "  I 
baptize  thee,' "  &c.  "  The  immersion  signi- 
fies that  our  sins  are  washed  away,  and 
merged  into  the  death  of  Christ." — Catech. 
Melandh.  Op.  Om.  P.  I.,  pp.  24,  25,  Wit. 
ed.,  1580. 

The  Protestant  Church  ofSaxoxy,  in  the  mem- 
orable Confession  of  Doctrine,  written  by  the  learn- 
ed Melancthon,  in  1551,  embracing  the  substance 
of  the  celebrated  Augsburg  Confession,  as  com- 
posed by  Melancthon  in  1530,  considerably  en- 
larged, and  endorsed  by  a  host  of  learned  men, 
representing  that  Church  at  the  Council  of  Trent, 
holds  the  following  doctrine  ■ 


TESTIMONY  OF  LUTHERANS.  59 

"  Baptism  is  the  entire  action,  namely 
the  immersion  and  pronunciation  of  the 
words:  'I  baptize  thee  in  the  name  of  the 
Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy 
Spirit.'  In  these  words  we  often  set  forth 
the  substance  of  the  doctrine  of  the  Gospel 
which  is  comprehended  in  them.  '  I  bap- 
tize thee/  that  is,  I  testify  in  this  immersion 
that  thou  art  washed  from  sins  and  already 
accepted  by  the  true  God." 

The  Protestant  Church  of  Holland,  in  the 
first  known  translation  of  the  Scriptures  into  the 
Dutch  language,  made  from  Luther's  German, 
about  the  middle  of  the  sixteenth  century,  used 
the  vernacular  term  doopen,  which  signifies  to  dip, 
as  a  translation  of  the  Greek  baftizo  through  the 
German  taufen.  And  Dr.  Hermga  says  :  "  The 
Dutch  translators  and  revisers  generally  followed 
Piscator,  and  even  made  use  of  his  manuscript 
notes,  procured  from  his  heirs  by  their  High 
Mightinesses.''' 

Dn.  Martin  Luther,  the  great  leader  of  the 
Protestant  Reformation  in  the  sixteenth  century, 
and  the  illustrious  founder  of  the  Lutheran  Church, 
in  his  German  version  of  the  Bible,  which  has  con- 
tinued to  be  till  the  present  time  the  most  popu- 
lar and  the   only  common  version  in  that  Ian 


60        WAYMARKS   TO    APOSTOLIC    BAPTISM. 

guage,  rendered  the  Greek  baptizo  by  the  Ger- 
man taufen,  "which,  like  the  Dutch  doopen,  though 
now  used  in  the  generic  sense  of  christen,  original- 
ly and  etymologically  signified  only  to  dip  ;*  in 
which  sense  it  was  manifestly  understood  and  used 
by  Luther  in  his  translation  of  the  Bible  ;  as  any 
one  can  see  from  his  writings,  where,  among  other 
things  he  says  : 

"The  term  baptism  is  Greek;  in  Latin  it 
may  be  translated  immersio,  since  we  immerse 
any  thing  into  the  water,  that  the  whole 
may  be  covered  with  water;  and  though  that 
custom   may  have  fallen   into   disuse   with 


*  The  Managers  of  the  American  Bible  Society,  em- 
bracing some  of  the  best  scholars  in  this  country,  in  their 
official  statement  of  the  Principles  and  Practice  of  that  So- 
ciety, in  1841,  speaking  of taufen  and  doopen  as  then  used 
in  the  German  and  the  Dutch  versions,  say  that,  "  Though 
they  once  signified  '  immerse,'  they  have  (like  many  words 
in  the  English  Bible)  lost  their  first  meaning,  and  are  now 
of  as  general  import  as  the  English  word,  'baptize.'" 
Agreeably  with  this  we  find  that  where  Luther,  three  hun- 
dred years  ago,  used  taufen  to  translate  the  Hebrew  taval, 
to  dip,'  in-/  Kings,  5:  14,  De  Wette  now  uses  tauchen,  as 
at  present  the  more  specific  term.  And  thus  it  appears 
that,  taufe.v,  when  used  by  Luther  to  translate  baptizo, 
signified  'to  IMMERSE.'  But  when  its  usage  became  re- 
stricted to  the  sacred  rite,  and  the  form  of  that  rite  was 
changed  by  the  prevailing  usage  of  the  cliurches,  from  im- 
Mersion  to  sprinkling,  the  original,  distinctive  meaning  of 
taufen  became  obscured;  so  that  the  word  is  now  employed, 
as  an  ecclesiastical  term,  in  a  generic  sense,  to  designate 
the  initiatory  rite,  without  denoting  the  manner  of  its  ad- 
ministration. 


TESTIMONY    OF    LUTHERANS.  61 

very  many  (for  they  do  not  totally  immerse 
children,  but  only  pe-fuse  them  with  a  very 
little  water,)  yet  they  ought  to  be  entirely 
immersed,  and  immediately  withdrawn.  For 
this  the  etymo.ogy  of  the  term  seems  to  de- 
mand. And  the  Germans  also  call  bap- 
tism Taufe,  from  depth,  which  in  their  lan- 
guage they  call  Tieft,  because  it  is  fit  that 
those  who  are  baptized  should  be  deeply 
immersed.  And  certainly  if  you  look  at 
what  baptism  signifies,  you  will  see  that  the 
same  is  required.  For  it  signifies  this,  that 
the  old  man,  and  our  sinful  nature,  which 
consists  of  flesh  and  blood,  are  totally  im- 
mersed by  divine  grace  (which  we  will  point 
out  more  fully.)  The  mode  of  baptizing, 
therefore,  was  obliged  to  correspond  with 
the  signification  of  baptism,  that  it  might 
set  forth  a  certain  and  full  sign  of  it."  .  .  . 
"  In  baptism  to  the  words  of  the  promise 
he  adds  the  sign  of  immersion  into  water." 
.  .  .  .  "  Another  tiling,  which  pertains  to 
baptism,  is  the  sign  or  sacrament,  which  is 
immersion  itself  into  water,  whence  also  it 
has  the  name.  For  baptizo  in  Greek  is 
mzrgo  m  Latin,  and  baptisma  is  mersio."  .  . . 
"  Baptism  justifies  no  one,  nor  is  it  advan- 
tageous to  any  one,  but  faith  in  the  word  of 


62        WAYMARKS   TO    APOSTOLIC    BAPTISM. 

the  promise,  to  which  baptism  is  added,  this 
justifies  and  fulfils  that  which  baptism  sig- 
nifies. For  faith  is  the  submersion  of  the 
old  man,  and  the  emersion  of  the  new  man." 
.  .  .  "  And  so  baptism  signifies  two  things, 
death  and  resurrection,  that  is,  a  full  and 
perfect  justification.  For  in  that  the  min- 
ister immerses  a  child  into  water,  signifies 
death ;  but  in  that  he  brings  it  out  again, 
signifies  life.  So  Paul  sets  forth  in  Rom.  6: 
1  For  we  are  buried  with  Christ  by  baptism 

into  death/" &c "  Wherefore,  while 

we  begin  to  believe,  we,  at  the  same  time, 
begin  to  die  to  this  world,  and  to  live  to 
God  in  a  future  life,  so  that  faith  is  truly  a 
death  and  resurrection,  that  is,  that  spirit- 
ual baptism,  in  which  we  are  immersed  and 
emerge.  In  that,  therefore,  ablution  from 
sins  is  attributable  to  baptism,  it  is,  indeed, 
truly  attributed,  but  the  signification  is  too 
slender  and  soft  to  express  baptism,  which  is 
a  symbol  rather  of  death  and  resurrection. 
On  this  account  I  could  wish  that  those  who 
are  to  be  baptized  should  be  completely  im- 
mersed into  the  water,  as  the  word  signifies 
and  the  mystical  rite  expresses  ;  not  because 
I  think  it  necessary,  but  because  it  would  be 
beautiful,  that  of  a  thing  so  perfect  and  full, 


TESTIMONY    OF    LUTHERANS.  63 

an  expression  likewise  full  and  perfect  should 
be  given,  as  also  it  was  instituted,  without 
doubt,  by  Christ." 

"Taufe  is  called  in  Greek,  baftismos,  in 
Latin,  mersio  ;  that  is,  when  they  immerse 
something  entirely  into  the  water,  which 
goes  altogether  over  it.  And  although  in 
many  places  the  custom  is  never  to  plunge 
and  to  immerse  the  children  completely  into 
the  font,  but  they  only  sprinkle  them  out  of 
the  font  with  the  hand ;  nevertheless  it 
should  be  so,  and  would  be  right,  that  they 
should,  according  to  the  meaning  of  the 
word,  taufe,  sink  and  baptize  the  child,  or 
any  one  who  is  baptized,  entirely  into  the 
water,  and  bring  it  out  again.  For  also, 
without  doubt,  the  word,  taufe,  in  German 
dialects,  comes  from  the  word,  tief ;  so  that 
what  one  would  baptize,  he  sinks  deeply  into 
the  water.  That  also  the  signification  of 
baptism  demands  ;  for  it  signifies  that  the  old 
man  and  sinful  birth  of  flesh  and  blood, 
should  be  completely  drowned  through  the 
grace  of  God  ;  as  we  shall  hear.  Therefore 
one  ought  to  do  enough  ior  this  signification, 
and  to  give  a  right,  perfect  sign." — Opera 
Luth.  torn.  I.  pp  7  1,  72,  Wit.  ed.  1582.  Tom. 
II.  pp.  70,  75,  76,  Wit.  ed.  1562.  Luth. 
Withe  Von  Walch,  vol.  x..  pp.  2593,  2594. 


64        WAYMARKS   TO    APOSTOLIC    BAPTISM 

SECTION  SECOND. 

Testimony  of  Presbyterians. 

Rev.  John  Diodati,  D.  D.,  who  was  brought  up 
in  the  Roman  Church,  but  in  early  life  embraced 
the  Protestant  faith,  became  a  Professor,  first  of 
Hebrew,  then  of  Theology,  at  Geneva,  and  was 
deputed  with  Trouchin  to  represent  the  Genevan 
clergy  in  the  Synod  of  Dort,  by  which  he  was  ap- 
pointed, with  five  others,  to  draw  up  the  Belgic 
Confession  of  Faith,  to  secure  the  professors  of  the 
reformed  religion  in  Holland  within  the  pale  of 
pure  and  unadulterated  Calvinism,  in  his  celebrat- 
ed Italian  version  of  the  Bible,  which,  though  per- 
haps too  paraphrastical,  enjoys  nevertheless  the 
reputation  of  being  exceedingly  faithful  and  ele- 
gant, has,  like  most  of  those  who  have  translated 
the  Scriptures  into  the  Latin,  French,  Spanish, 
Portuguese  and  other  cognate  languages,  trans- 
ferred the  Greek  word  baptizo.  "  It  should,  how- 
ever, be  remarked,"  says  the  learned  Greenfield, 
in  his  celebrated  Defence  of  the  Mahratta  version 
"  that  though  these  translators  adopted  the  Greek 
word,  yet  they  clearly  understood  it  in  the  sense 
of  immersion."    Hence  Diodati,  in  his  version,  ed. 


TESTIMONY    OF    PRESBYTERIANS.  65 

1607,  explains  "  battezzati,"  at  Matt.  3  :  6,  by  the 
following  marginal  note : 

"Dipped  in  the  water,  for  a  sacred  sign 
and  ceremony,  testifying  and  sealing  the  re- 
mission, and  purging  away  of  sin  in  the  blood 
of  Christ,  and  the  purification  of  their  minds 
by  the  power  of  the  Holy  Spirit." 

Theodore  Beza,  a  renowned  scholar,  reputed 
the  best  interpreter  of  his  time,  and  next  to  Cal- 
vin, the  most  distinguished  for  genius  and  influ- 
ence among  the  preachers  of  the  Calvinistic  Church 
in  the  sixteenth  century,  Professor  of  the  Greek 
Language  at  Lausanne,  and  afterwards  Professor 
of  Theology  at  Geneva,  where,  after  the  death  of 
Calvin,  he  presided  over  the  Church,  and  enjoyed 
for  forty  years  the  reputation  of  a  patriarch,  with- 
out whose  approbation  no  important  step  was 
taken,  in  a  new  Latin  version  accompanying  his 
excellent  edition  of  the  Greek  Testament,  first 
published  in  1556,  transferred  the  Greek  word 
BAPTrzo,  wherever  it  related  to  the  sacred  rite  ; 
but  obviously  iu  the  sense  of  immersion  ;  as  appears 
from  his  annotations  on  Matt.  3:11,  Mark  7 :  4, 
and  Gal.  2  :  27,  where  he  says : 

"The  word  for  baptizing,  (which,  indeed, 
if  you  look  at  the  term  itself,  corresponds 


G6        WAYMARKS   TO    APOSTOLIC    BAPTISM. 

with  the  Hebrew,  taval  [immerse]  rather 
than  with  rahhatz  [wash,] )  formerly  used  by 
the  sacred  writers  in  the  new  mystery,  and 
for  so  many  ages  afterwards,  by  the  tacit 
consent  of  all  the  churches,  consecrated  to 
this  one  sacrament,  so  that  it  had  passed 
over  even  into  the  common  idioms  of  almost 
all  nations,  these  men,  therefore,  (of  whom 
Sebastian  Castell  is  chief,)  rashly  venture, 
nevertheless,  to  change,  that  they  may  use 
the  terms,  'bathing'  and  l ablution'  and 
'washing,7  the  words,  baptize  and  baptism, 
being  treated  as  if  eliminated  and  abandon- 
ed. Men  are  certainly  fastidious,  who  are 
neither  moved  by  the  perpetual  authority  of 
so  many  ages,  nor  can  be  led  by  the  daily 
custom  of  the  people  in  speaking,  to  think 
that,  what  all  concede  to  other  masters  of 
the  arts  and  professors,  is  allowable  to  the- 
ologians ;  that  is,  that  what  they  have  come 
into  possession  of,  by  long  usage  and  the 
best  faith,  they  should  retain  as  their  own. 
Nor  is  there  any  reason  why  they  should 
use  as  a  pretext,  the  authority  of  a  few 
ancient  writers ;  as,  for  instance,  that  Cyp- 
rian said  tingentes  [dipping]  instead  of  bap- 
tizantes  [baptizing,]  and  Tertullian  in  some 
place  calls  Christ  sequestrem  instead  of  Medi- 


TESTIMONY    OF    PRESBYTERIANS.  67 

ator.  For  what  was  to  those  ancients  as  it 
were  new,  is  to  us  old  ;  and  this  proves  that 
even  these  very  words  which  we  now  use, 
were  familiar  to  the  Church,  and  were,  there- 
fore, more  pleasing  to  themselves,  because 
they  are  very  rarely  found  having  spoken 
otherwise." 

"'They  were  lathed1 — baptisontai  Yul- 
gate,  baptizextur,  which  Erasmus  with  rea- 
son changed,  since  it  was  not  performed  by 
that  solemn  ablution,  to  which  (as  I  before 
said)  the  appellation  of  baptism  had  been 
now  for  a  long  time,  by  the  custom  of  all 
the  churches,  set  apart  and  consecrated: 
But  baptizesthai  is  more  in  this  place  than 
c/iemiptein,  because  the  former  would  seem 
to  be  understood  of  the  whole  body,  the  lat- 
ter of  the  hands  only.  Nor,  indeed,  does 
baptized*  signify  to  wash,  unless  by  conse- 
quence. For  it  properly  means,  to  immerse, 
for  the  sake  of  dyeing."  "  But  this  phrase 
also  seems  to  be  derived  from  the  ancient 
custom  of  immersing  adults." 

The  Ritual  of  the  Calvlnistic  Church  at  Ge- 
neva, as  early  as  1556,  contained  in  its  ;Form  of 
Prayers  and  Administration  of  Sacraments,'  the 
following : 

"  '  I  baptize  thee  iu  the  name  of  the  Fa- 


05        WAYMARKS    TO    APOSTOLIC    BAPTISM. 

ther,  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 
And  as  he  (the  priest)  speaketh  these  words, 
he  taketh  water  in  his  hand,  and  layeth  it  on 
the  child's  forehead." 

This  appears  to  be  the  oldest  church-law  requir- 
ing affusion  for  baptism 

John  Calvin,  a  distinguished  reformer  of  the 
sixteenth  century,  who,  according  to  our  own  Ban- 
croft, "  achieved  an  immortality  of  fame  before  he 
was  twenty-eight  years  of  age,"  and  whose  "  only 
happiness  consisted  of  '  tasks  of  glory  and  of 
good,'  "  with  "  probity  unquestionable  and  rnorals 
spotless,"  whom  the  learned  Hooker  declared  to 
be  "  incomparably  the  wisest  man  that  ever  the 
French  Church  did  enjoy  since  it  enjoyed  him," 
and  whom  even  the  cautious  Scaliger  pronounced 
"  the  most  exalted  character  that  had  appeared 
since  the  days  of  the  Apostles,  and,  at  the  age  of 
twenty-two,  the  most  learned  man  in  Europe,"  this 
great  man,  in  his  comments  on  John  3 :  23,  and 
Acts  8  :  38,  says : 

"  From  these  words  it  is  lawful  to  con- 
clude that  baptism  was  celebrated  by  John 
and  Christ  by  the  submersion  of  the  whole 
body."  "  Here  we  see  plainly  what  the  rite 
ol  baptizing  was  among  the  ancients ;  for 


TESTIMONY    OF    PRESBYTERIANS.  69 

thpy  immersed  the  whole  body  into  water. 
Now  the  practice  has  come  into  vogue,  that 
the  minister  shall  only  sprinkle  the  body  or 
the  heed.  But  so  small  a  difference  of  cere- 
mony ought  not  to  be  of  so  great  importance 
to  ns,  that  we  should  on  that  account  divide 
the  Church,  or  disturb  it  with  strifes.  In 
behalf  of  the  ceremony  of  baptism  itself,  in- 
deed, as  far  as  it  was  delivered  to  us  by 
Christ,  it  would  be  a  hundred  times  better 
that  we  should  fight  even  to  the  death,  than 
that  we  should  permit  it  to  be  torn  from  us  ; 
but  since  in  the  symbol  of  water  we  have  the 
testimony,  as  well  of  our  ablution,  as  of  a 
new  life  ;  since  in  water  as  in  a  mirror 
Christ  represents  to  us  his  blood,  that  we 
may  seek  thence  our  purification  ;  since  he 
teaches  that  we  are  restored  by  his  spirit, 
that  being  dead  to  sin  we  may  live  to  right- 
eousness, it  is  certain  that  nothing  which 
may  make  to  the  substance  of  baptism  is 
wanting  to  us.  Wherefore  the  Church 
freely  permitted  herself  from  the  beginning 
to  have  ceremonies,  outside  of  this  substance, 
somewhat  dissimilar.  For  some  immersed 
three  times,  but  others  once  only;  wherefore 
we  should  not  be  too  particular  in  things 
not  so  necessary  ;  only  let  not  adventitious 


70        WAYMARKS    TO    APOSTOLIC    BAPTISM. 

displays    corrupt    a   simple    institution    of 
Christ." 

Calvin,  also,  in  his  Institutes  of  the 
Christian  Religion,  xv.  19,  says  :  V  Whether 
the  person  who  is  baptized  be  wholly  im- 
mersed, and  that  thrice  or  once,  or  be  only 
sprinkled  with  water  poured  on,  matters  very 
little  ;  but  that,  on  account  of  the  diversity 
of  countries,  ought  to  be  free  to  the 
churches.  Although  it  is  certain,  both  that 
the  word  itself  of  baptizing  signifies  to  im- 
merse, and  that  the  rite  of  immersing  was  ob- 
served by  the  ancient  Church." 

Such  is  the  testimony  of  this  great  and  good 
man,  the  founder  and  father  of  Presbyterianism, 
in  relation  to  the  meaning  of  the  word  baptize  and 
the  practice  of  the  ancient  Church ;  and  such  is 
the  only  ground  on  which  he  attempted  to  justify 
the  substitution  of  sprinkling  for  immersion. 


SECTION   THIRD. 

Testimony  of  Episcopalians. 

The  Protestant  Episcopal  Church  of  England 
produced,  in  1611,  a  new  translation  of  the  Scrip- 
tures   iu    English,  specifically  known    as    King 


TESTIMONY    OF    EPISCOPALIANS.  ?1 

James's  version,  which  has  been  ever  since  the 
commonly  received  version  in  that  language.  In 
making  this  version  the  translators  were  required 
to  follow  the  Bishops'  Bible,  and  to  make  no  alter- 
ation in  that  version,  except  where  the  sense  re- 
quired it.  Yet  in  2  Kings,  5  :  14,  where  the  He- 
brew taval,  which  the  Septuagint  had  rendered  by 
baptizo,  was  translated  in  the  Bishops'  Bible 
washed,  the  authors  of  our  common  version  substi- 
tuted dipped.  While  in  cases  relating  to  the  Christ- 
ian rite  the  transferred  term  baptize  is  retained 
as  in  the  Bishops'  Bible  ;  of  which  the  translators, 
in  their  preface,  say :  "  We  have  on  the  one  side 
avoided  the  scrupulositie'of  the  Puritanes,  who 
leave  the  old  ecclestasticall  words  and  betake 
them  to  other  ;  as  when  they  put  washing  for  bap- 
tism, and  congregation  instead  of  church."  The 
sense  in  which  these  translators  understood  and 
used  the  word  baptize,  in  the  common  version,  is 
most  fairly  inferred  from  their  practice  and  the 
Liturgy  of  their  Church. 

Richakd  Cox,  an  eminent  scholar  in  the  Episco- 
pal Church,  and  Bishop  of  Ely,  who,  according  to 
his  biographer,  was  "  one  of  the  chief  pillars  and 
ornaments  of  the  Church,"  in  his  translation  of  a 
greater  portion  of  what  is  commonly  known  as  the 
Bishops'  Bible,  published  in  15  G8,  employed  the 


72        WAYMARKS    TO   APOSTOLIC    BAPTISM. 

transferred  term,  baptize,  to  describe  the  sacred 
rite.  The  sense  in  which  he  so  employed  that 
term  may  also  be  safely  inferred  from  the  con- 
temporaneous Liturgy  of  his  Church  ;  more  espe- 
cially as  he  himself  was  the  chief  author  of  that 
Liturgy. 

William  Whittingham,  Dean  of  Durham,  under 
Queen  Elizabeth,  and  brother-in-law  of  John  Cal- 
vin, in  his  translation  of  the  Geneva  version  of 
the  New  Testament,  published  in  1557,  used  the 
transferred  term,  baptize.  And  it  is  fair  to  pre- 
sume that  he  also  understood  its  meaning  accord- 
ing to  the  practice  and  Liturgy  of  the  Episcopal 
Church. 

The  Protestant  Episcopal  Church,  of  England, 
by  a  convocation  of  Bishops  in  1542,  undertook  to 
make  a  new  English  version.  Among  the  numer- 
ous questions  which  arose,  it  was  debated  by  them, 
whether  '  charity '  or  '  love '  should  be  used  to 
translate  charitas ;  and  whether  ecclesia  should  be 
rendered  'church'  or  'congregation.'  But  Stephen 
Gardiner,  Bishop  of  Winchester,  who,  as  Fuller 
says,  "wanting  power  to  keep  the  light  of  the 
word  from  shining,  sought  out  of  policy  to  put  it 
into  a  dark  lanthorn,"  superseded  all  such  ques- 
tions, by  proposing  to  transfer  ninety-nine  wrords 
and  phrases  from  the  Latin  Vulgate,  which,  as  he 


TESTIMONY    OF    EPISCOPALIANS.  73 

said,  on  account  of  their  genuine  and  native  mean- 
ing, and  the  majesty  of  the  matter  signified  by 
them,  he  would  have  incorporated  into  the  English 
version,  untranslated,  or  as  little  altered  as  possible. 
Among  these  were  charitas,  ecclesia,  episcopus,  bap- 
tizare,  &c.  But  the  Bishops  refused  to  have  their 
work  submitted  to  the  Universities,  according  to 
the  will  of  the  king,  and  consequently  this  project 
was  defeated.  The  sense  in  which  it  was  here  pro- 
posed, to  transfer  the  term  baptize  must  also  be 
gathered  from  the  contemporaneous  practice  and 
Liturgy  of  the  Church. 

In  the  Book  of  Common  Prayer  and  Adminis- 
tration of  the  Sacraments  and  other  Rites  and 
Ceremonies  of  the  Church,  according  to  the  use  of 
the  Church  of  England,  as  revised  and  settled  at  the 
Savoy  Conference  in  1662,  (which  is  quoted  in  this 
place  for  the  sake  of  a  more  convenient  compari- 
son of  it  with  earlier  editions.)  the  direction  for 
public  baptism  contains  the  following: 

"  Naming  it  after  them,  (if  they  shall 
eertifie  him  that  the  child  may  well  endure 
it,)  he  shall  dip  it  in  the  water  discreetly 
and  warily,  saying:  '  N.  I  baptize  thee,'  &c. 
But  if  they  eertifie  that  the  child  is  weak,  it 
shall  suffice  to  pour  water  upon  it,  saying 
the  foresaid  words." 


74        WAYMARKS   TO    APOSTOLIC    BAPTISM. 

But  the  Book  of  Common  Prayer  and  Adminis- 
tration of  the  Sacraments  and  other  parts  of  Di- 
vine Service,  as  printed  in  1637,  (six  years  previ- 
ous to  the  Westminster  Assembly.)  under  Charles 
L,  and  commonly  called  Archbishop  Laud's,  for 
the  use  of  the  Church  of  Scotland,  directs  as  fol- 
lows : 

"The  Presbyter  shall  take  the  childe  in 
his  hands  and  aske  the  name  ;  and  naming 
the  childe,  shall  dip  it  in  the  water,  so  it  be 
discreetly  and  warily  done,  saying :  '  N.  I 
baptize  thee,'  &c.  And  if  the  childe  be 
weake,  it  shall  suffice  to  poure  water  upon 
it,  saying  the  foresaid  words." 

The  Book  of  Common  Prayer  and  Administra- 
tion of  Sacraments,  &c,  for  the  Church  of  England, 
as  published  under  James  L,  in  1604,  commonly 
called  the  s  Hampton  Court  Book,'  and  under 
Elizabeth,  in  1559,  commonly  called  the  '  First 
Book  of  Queen  Elizabeth,'  and  under  Edward  VI., 
in  1552,  commonly  called  the  '  Second  Book  of 
Edward  VI.,'  contained  the  same  direction  as  that 
above  quoted  from  Archbishop  Laud's,  of  1637. 
From  which  it  will  be  observed  tlmt  the  clause, 
"  if  they  shall  certifie  him  that  the  childe  may  well 
endure  it,"  was  never  found  in  the  Liturgy  of  the 
Episcopal  Church,  till  after  the  Westminster  As- 


TESTIMONY  OF  ROMAN   CATHOLICS.  75 

sembly.     And  dipping  for  baptism  was  always  re- 
quired except  in  cases  of  'weakness. 

Ret.  William  Chappel,  a  learned  and  pious 
man,  Fellow  of  Christ's  College,  Cambridge,  and 
Provost  of  Trinity  College,  Dublin,  Bishop  of  Cork, 
Cloyne  and  Ross,  in  his  memoirs  of  himself,  says, 
he  was  dipped,  as  was  the  custom  in  the  parish  in 
which  he  was  born,  in  Nottinghamshire,  Decem- 
ber, 1512. 


SECTION   FOURTH. 

Testimony  of  Roman  Catholics. 

James  Pamelius,  canon  of  Bruges,  arch-deacon 
and  nominated  bishop  of  St.  Omer's  in  1587,  a 
scholar  of  large  attainments,  especially  devoted  to 
the  study  of  the  Christian  fatheps,  says : 

"  Whereas  the  sick,  by  reason  of  their  ill- 
ness, could  not  be  immersed  or  plunged, 
(which,  properly  speaking,  is  to  be  baptiz- 
ed,) they  had  the  salutary  water  poured 
upon  them,  or  were  sprinkled  with  it.  For 
the  same  reason,  I  think,  the  custom  of 
sprinkling  now  used,  first  began  to  be  ob- 


76        WAYMARKS    TO    APOSTOLIC    BAPTISM. 

served  by  the  western  Church  ;  namely,  on 
account  of  the  tenderness  of  infants,  seeing 
the  baptism  of  adults  was  now  very  seldom 
practised." 

The  Roman  Catechism,  emanating  from  the 
Council  of  Trent,  and  published  in  1566,  under 
Pope  Pius  V.,  says  : 

"  Baptism  may  be  administered  by  im- 
mersion, infusion,  or  aspersion;  and  being 
administered  in  either  of  these  forms  it  is 
equally  valid." 

James  Sadolet,  a  learned  writer,  of  Italy,  who 
was  created  cardinal  of  the  Roman  Catholic 
Church  in  1536,  and  whom  Erasmus  very  justly 
styled,  "a  notable  ornament  of  his  age,"  in  his 
comment  on  Rom.  6  :  4,  8,  says  : 

"  Our  trine  immersion  in  water  at  baptism, 
and  our  trine  emersion,  denote  that  we  are 
buried  with  Christ  in  the  faith  of  the  true 
Trinity,  and  that  we  rise  again  with  Christ 
in  the  same  belief." 

Desiderius  Erasmus,  D.  D.,  one  of  the  greatest 
scholars  of  the  age,  and  one  of  the  most  illustrious 
men  that  ever  lived,  in  a  note  to  his  Latin  version, 
of  the  sixteenth  century,  at  Matt.  3:  14,  says: 

"  It  has  seemed  best  to  use  the  word  for 


PROMISCUOUS   TESTIMONIES.  77 

baptizing  without  change,  although  it  is 
Greek,  inasmuch  as  the  thing  itself  has  come 
down  to  us  as  something  new.  Although 
Cyprian  in  a  letter  to  Cecil  ventured  to  read 
thus  :  '  Teach  all  nations,  dipping  them  in 
the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and 
of  the  Holy  Spirit.'" 


SECTION  FIFTH. 

Promiscuous  Testimonies. 

Hugo  Grotius,  LL.  D.,  styled  not  unaptly  by 
Quistorpius  the  "Phenix  of  Literature,"  a  pupil 
of  Scaliger,  and  companion  of  Casaubon  and  Vos- 
sius,  and  beyond  all  question,  one  of  the  most  pro- 
found scholars  of  the  seventeenth  century,  in  his 
annotations  on  Matt.  3 :  6,  John  3:23,  says  : 

"  But  that  this  customary  rite  was  per- 
formed by  immersion  not  by  pouring,  is  indi- 
cated both  by  the  proper  signification  of  the 
word,  and  the  places  chosen  for  that  rite, 
John  3:  23,  Acts  8:  38,  and  many  allusions 
of  the  Apostles,  which  cannot  be  referred 
to  sprinkling,  Rom.  6:  3,  4.     Col.  2:   12. 


78        WAYMARKS   TO    APOSTOLIC    BAPTISM. 

Considerably  later  the  custom  of  pourvng  or 
sprinkling  seems  to  have  come  into  use,  for 
the  sake  of  those  who,  lying;  in  virulent  dis- 
ease, sought  a  name  with  Christ,  whom  the 
rest  call  clinics.  !See  Epistle  of  Cyprian  to 
Magnus."  "Understand  not  many  streams, 
but  simply  an  abundance  of  water,  so  much 
certainly  that  the  human  body  might  be 
easily  immersed  in  it,  in  which  manner  bap- 
tism was  then  performed."  "This  appears 
to  intimate  not  only  the  words  of  baptism, 
but  also  the  very  form  of  it.  For  an  im- 
mersion of  the  whole  body  into  the  river,  so 
that  it  was  no  longer  conspicuous,  bore  au 
ima<re  of  the  burial  which  is  given  to  the 
dead." 

Stephen  Curcellaeus,  an  eminent  minister  and 
a  renowned  scholar,  successor  of  Episcopius  in  the 
Professorship  of  Divinity  at  Amsterdam,  in  the 
seventeenth  century,  says  : 

"Baptism  was  performed  by  plunging  the 
whole  body  into  water,  and  not  by  sprinkling 
a  few  drops,  as  is  now  the  practice.  Nor  did 
the  disciples,  that  were  sent  out  by  Christ, 
administer  baptism  afterwards  in  any  other 
way."    Relig.  Christ.  Institut.  L.  v.  C.  ii. 

Claudius  Salmasius,  whom  Isaac  Casauhon  pro- 


PROMISCUOUS   TESTIMONIES.  79 

nounced  a  man  of  wonderful  learning,  and  who, 
according  to  his  biographer,  "was  knowing  in 
every  thing,  in  divinity,  in  law,  in  philosophy,  in 
criticism  ;  and  so  consummate  a  linguist  that  there 
was  hardly  a  language  he  had  not  attained  some 
mastery  in,"  says : 

"  Baptism  is  immersion,  and  was  formerly 
celebrated  according  to  the  force  and  mean- 
ing of  the  name.  Now  it  is  only  r autism, 
sprinkling,  not  immersion,  nor  dipping.''1 — 
Wolf,  Cur.  Phil.  Grit.  Matt.  28  :  19. 

George  Pasor,  Professor  of  Greek  at  Franeker, 
in  his  Lexicon  of  the  New  Testameut,  published 
about  the  time  of  his  death,  in  1637,  defines  bap- 
tizo  thus  : 

"  To  baptize,  to  merge,  to  bathe." 

Isaac  Casaubox,  a  scholar  and  critic  of  the  first 
order,  Professor  of  the  Greek  Language  at  Ge- 
neva from  1582  to  1596,  and  subsequently  Profes- 
sor of  the  Greek  and  the  Latin  Languages  at  Mont- 
pelier,  in  his  edition  of  the  Greek  Testament,  pub- 
lished in  1587,  appended  to  Matt.  3 :  6,  the  follow- 
ing note : 

"  For  this  was  the  rite  of  baptizing,  that 
they  were  immersed  into  the  waters ;  which 
even  the  word  itself  sufficiently  declares." 


80        WAYMARKS    TO    APOSTOLIC    PAPTISM. 

John  Jones,  M.  D.,  a  celebrated  physician,  of 
England,  in  his  work  entitled,  "  The  Art  and 
Science  of  preserving  the  Body  and  Soul  in 
Health,"  published  in  1579,  incidentally  notices 
the  fact,  that,  some  of  the  old  priests  of  that  time 
were  accustomed  to  dip  the  child  very  zealously 
to  the  bottom  of  the  font. 

Joelv  Scapula,  a  well-known  lexicographer 
in  his  Greek  lexicon,  of  1579,  furtively  copied  from 
the  work  of  his  employer,  adopted  without  change 
the  definition  of  baptizo,  as  that  celebrated 
scholar, 

Henry  Stevens,  in  his  incomparable  Thesaurus 
of  1572,  had  defined  the  term,  thus  : 

"  To  merge,  or  immerse;  to  submerge,  to 
bury  in  water." 

These  are  his  only  definitions  in  relation  to 
classical  usage  ;  but  referring  to  Mark  7  :  4,  and 
Luke  11 :  38,  he  adds  : 

"  To  wash,  to  bathe.11 

The  Welsh  Versions,  the  first  of  which  was 
published  in  the  sixteenth  century,  have  bediddio, 
which  originally  and  primarily  signifies  '  to  bathe.'' 

The  Icelandic  Versions,  including  that  of  Od- 
dur,  made  about  the  middle  of  the  sixteenth  cen- 


PROMISCUOUS    TESTIMONIES.  81 

tury,  have  all,  so  far  as  known  to  the  writer,  ren- 
dered BAPTrzo  by  the  native  term  skira,  which  sig- 
nifies '  to  cleanse  ;'  as  by  washing. 

Waldbrds,  in  his  Greek  lexicon  of  1537,  defines 
baptizo  as  signifying  only  "  to  immerse." 

John  Frith,  who.  being  converted  through  Tyn- 
dal,  became  a  distinguished  reformer,  and  died  a 
martyr  at  Smithfield,  in  1533,  says : 

"  The  sign  in  baptism  is  the  plunging 
down  in  the  material  water,  and  lifting  up 
again."  .  .  .  "The  signification  of  baptism 
is  described  of  Paul  in  the  sixth  of  the  Ko- 
mans  ;  that,  as  we  are  plunged  bodily  in  the 
water,  even  so  we  are  dead  and  buried  with 
Christ  from  sin  ;  and  as  we  are  lifted  up 
again  out  of  the  water,  even  so  are  we  risen 
with  Christ  from  our  sins,  that  we  might 
hereafter  walk  in  a  new  conversation  of  life. 
So  that  these  two  things,  that  is,  to  be 
plunged  in  the  water,  and  lift  up  again,  do 
signify  and  represent  the  whole  pith  and 
effect  of  baptism,  that  is,  the  mortification  of 
our  old  Adam,  and  the  rising  up  of  our  new 
man." — Eng.  and  Scotch  Ref.  vol.  iv.  pp. 
284,  289. 

William  Ttndal,  a  man  of  uncommon  abilities 
and  learning,  who  for  his  love  of  the  truth,  and 


82        WAYMARKS    TO    APOSTOLIC    BAPTISM. 

his  zeal  in  the  publication  of  God's  word  among 
the  common  people,  was  first  strangled,  then  burnt 
as  a  martyr  in  1536,  in  the  first  translation  of  the 
New  Testament,  made  out  of  the  original  in  1526, 
transferred  the  Greek  word  baptizo,  in  all  cases 
relating  to  the  Christian  rite.  But  that  he  under- 
stood and  used  the  term  so  transferred  in  the  sense 
of  immersion,  is  evident  from  what  he  elsewhere 
says  of  the  rite,  namely : 

"  Tribulation  is  our  right  baptism,  and  is 
signified  by  plunging  into  water."  .  .  ."The 
plungynge  into  the  water  sygnifieth  that  we 
dye  and  are  buryed  with  Christ  as  concern- 
ynge  the  old  lyfe  of  synne  which  is  in  Adam. 
And  the  pullynge  out  agayne  sygnyfyeth 
that  we  ryse  agayne  with  Chryste  in  a  new 
lyfe."  .  .  .  "Ask  the  people  what  they  un- 
derstand by  their  baptism  or  washing.  And 
thou  shalt  see,  that  they  believe,  how  that 
the  very  plunging  into  the  water  saveth 
them.  .  .  .  Behold  how  narrowly  the  peo- 
ple look  on  the  ceremony.  If  ought  be  left 
out,  or  if  the  child  be  not  altogether  dipt  in 
the  water,  or  if,  because  the  child  is  sick, 
the  priest  dare  not  plunge  him  into  the  wa- 
ter, but  pour  water  on  his  head,  how  trem- 
ble they !  how  quake  they !  How  say  ye, 
'  Sir  John/  say  they,  'is  this  child  christen- 


PROMISCUOUS    TESTIMONIES.  83 

ed  enough  ?  Lath  it  his  full  Christendom  V 
They  believe  verily  that  the  child  is  not 
christened." —  Tynd.  Obed.  Christ.  Man.  Eng. 
and  beat.  Bef.  vol.  ii.  pp.  174,  287,  310. 

The  Persic  Version,  supposed  to  have  been 
made  in  the  fourteenth  century,  renders  baptizo 
.by  the  vernacular  word  shustan.  which,  accoiding 
to  Golius  and  Richardson,  well-known  lexicog- 
raphers, signifies  'to  wash,''  in  the  sense  of  ablution. 

John  Wiclif,  an  English  Doctor,  and  Professor 
of  Divinity  in  the  University  of  Oxford  ;  the 
father  of  the  Reformation,  who,  according  to 
Knighton,  Wiclif 's  bitterest  foe,  "  was  reputed  in 
philosophy,  second  to  none ;  in  scholastic  disci- 
pline, incomparable,"  and  was  without  doubt  one 
of  the  greatest  men  of  his  times,  translated  the 
New  Testament  into  English  from  the  Latin  Vul- 
gate in  1380  ;  and  in  cases  not  relating  to  the 
Christian  rite,  even  where  the  Vulgate  had  retain- 
ed BArTizo,  he  rendered  it,  '  to  wash  ;'  in  some  ten 
or  twelve  cases  relating  to  the  ordinance  he  trans- 
lated it,  '  to  christen  ;  in  all  other  cases  he  retained 
the  Greco-Latin  words,  baptize  and  baptism.  But 
his  renderings  of  the  context  in  several  instances 
are  so  much  more  consonant  with  the  act  of  im- 
mersion than  with  any  other  mode  of  ' '  christen- 
ing;" (as  where  he  says  :   "  christened  in  Jordan," 


84        WAYMARKS   TO    APOSTOLIC    BAPTISM. 

"baptized  in  the  flood  of  Jordan,"  "in  water," 
"in  the  Holy  Ghost,"  &c.;  never  "with  water," 
&c.,  as  in  the  common  version  ;  aud  where  he 
says :  "  Ye  schulen  be  ivaischun  with  the  baptym, 
in  which  I  am  baptised  ;")  that  we  are  compelled 
to  believe  that  he  used  the  term  baptize  in  the 
sense  of  immersion;  and  the  necessary  force  of  '  in,' 
as  here  used,  together  with  the  most  natural  sense 
of  'wash,'  plainly  shows  that  the  translator  had  in 
mind  the  act  of  immersion,  the  consequence  of 
which  he  denominates  a  washing. 

This  takes  us  back  through  the  second  period  to 
1311,  when  the  Legislature,  in  a  Council  at  Ra 
venna,  declared  immersion  and  pouring  indifferent 


PAET  THIRD. 


This  part  extends  from  the  Council  at  Ravenna, 
in  1311,  to  754,  when  the  Pope  of  Rome,  Stephen 
II.,  decided,  in  answer  to  the  inquiry  of  certain 
monks  of  Cressa,  in  Brittany,  that  it  was  lawful, 
in  case  of  necessity,  to  pour  water  with  a  ladle,  or 
with  the  hands,  upon  the  head  of  an  infant  lying 
sick,  and  so  to  baptize,  if  it  should  be  performed 
in  the  name  of  the  Trinity. 


Promiscuous  Testimonies. 

Muratori,  the  celebrated  Italian  antiquary,  al- 
ready introduced,  says : 

"  In  a  very  ancient  antiphonary  of  the 
metropolitan  library  at  Mediolanum,  written 
about  the  year   1150,  which  formerly  be- 


86        WAYMARKS    TO    APOSTOLIC    BAPTISM. 

longed  to  the  canon-law  of  the  Valley  of 
Travalia,  the  ceremonies  of  baptism  on  the 
holy  sabbath  are  recited,  from  which  I  have 
gathered  these  few." 

And,  after  giving  some  extracts  relating  to  ser- 
vices which  precede  the  rite  itself,  he  adds : 

"Then,  in  describing  baptism,  'trine  im- 
mersion7 is  prescribed." — Murat.  It  at.  Antiq. 
Med.  Aev.  vol.  iv.,  Uis.  57. 

The  Slavonic  Version,  made  some  time  in  the 
ninth  century,  translates  baptizo  by  the  native 
word  krestiti,  which  signifies,  '  to  cross,'  and  wTas 
first  used  to  designate  the  Christian  rite,  either 
because  a  sign  of  the  cross  was  made  on  the  can- 
didate at  the  time  of  his  baptism,  or  else  on  ac- 
count of  the  trine  immersion  being  administered  in 
the  form  of  a  cross.  The  latter  seems  to  be  the 
more  probable  reason ;  in  either  case,  however, 
the  term  used  determines  nothing  as  to  the  form 
of  the  rite  in  the  Russian  Church ;  though  it  ap- 
pears from  other  evidences  to  have  been  immersion. 
in  all  ages.  [See  Dr.  Schaff  's  testimony,  p.  12.] 
The  same  term  is  used  in  modern  Russian,  and  in 
all  the  cognate  dialects  of  the  Slavonic  family 
into  which  the  Scriptures  have  been  translated. 

Photius,  patriarch  of  Constantinople,  a.  d.  880, 


PROMISCUOUS    TESTIMONIES.  8t 

who  was  by  far  the  greatest  man  of  that  age,  from 
whom,  indeed,  it  has  been  commonly  styled  "  Sec- 
ulum  Photianum,"  the  Photian  Age,  says  : 

"  And  he  [the  Apostle]  beautifully  said, 
not,  '  We  are  planted  together  in  death/ 
but,  '  in  the  likeness  of  death.'  Eor  it  is  a 
likeness  of  death  we  have  in  baptism,  not 
bodily  death.  For  the  three  immersions  and 
emersions  of  baptism,  signify  death  and  resur- 
rection."—  Oecumen.  vol.  I.,  p.  275,  Paris  ed. 
1630. 

Rabanxs  Macrus,  who  was  Abbot  of  Fulda  in 
822,  and  Archbishop  of  Mentz  in  847,  and  whom 
Milner,  the  historian,  pronounces  one  of  the  most 
learned  men  of  that  age,  says  : 

11  After  the  baptized  conies  up  out  of  the 
font,  the  Presbyter  immediately  signs  his 
forehead  with  holy  oil." — Be  Cleric.  Institut. 
el  Ceremon.  Eccles.  Lib.  I.  c.  28. 

Flaccus  Alcuikcs,  an  eminent  scholar,  and,  ac- 
cording to  the  English  historian,  William  of 
Malmesbury,  "  the  best  English  divine  after  Bede 
and  Adhelme,"  and  who  was  the  confidant  in- 
structor and  adviser  of  Charlemagne,  wrote  a  book 
in  the  latter  part  of  the  eighth  century,  in  which 
he  says: 


05        WAYMARKS   TO    APOSTOLIC    BAPTISM. 

"  The  priest  shall  baptize  the  candidate 
by  trine  immersion,  with  only  one  invocation 
of  the  holy  Trinity,  saying  thus:  '  I  baptize 
thee  in  the  name  of  the  Father/  {immersing 
him  once,)  'and  of  the  Son,'  (immersing him 
again,)  'and  of  the  Holy  Ghost,'  (immersing 
him  a  third  time.) — Alcuini  Lib.  de  Divin. 
Offic. 

Zacharias,  who  succeeded  Gregory  III.  in  the 
papal  chair  in  741,  writing  from  Rome  to  Arch- 
bishop Boniface,  some  years  after,  says  : 

"  It  appears  to  be  decreed  and  clearly  es- 
tablished by  the  English  Council,  that  he 
who  is  immersed  without  the  invocation  of 
the  Trinity,  does  hot  receive  the  sacrament 
of  regeneration  ;  which  is  entirely  true  ;  for 
if  one  is  washed  in  the  font  of  baptism  with- 
out the  invocation  of  the  Trinity,  he  is  not 
a  perfect  Christian." 

Stephen  II.,  who  took  the  papal  chair  in  752, 
being  asked  "  whether  it  is  lawful,  in  case  of  neces- 
sity, to  pnur  water  with  a  ladle,  or  with  the  hands 
upon  an  infant  lying  sick,  and  so  to  baptize,"  re- 
plied as  follows : 

"  This  baptism,  if  it  shall  have  been  per- 
formed in  the  name  of  the  sacred  Trinity, 
shall  remain  firmly  ;  especially  when  necessity 


PROMISCUOUS   TESTIMONIES.  89 

also  demands,  that  he,  who  has  been  kept 
Jpack  by  sickness,  being  in  this  manner  re- 
generated, may  be  made  a  partaker  of  the 
kingdom  of  God." 

The  learned  Basnage  says :  "  This  is  accounted 
the  first  law  against  immersion.  The  pontiff,  how- 
ever, did  not  dispense  with  immersion,  except  in 
case  of  extreme  necessity." 


PAET  FOURTH. 


This  part  extends  from  the  decision  of  Stephen 
II.,  about  754,  to  the  circumfusion  of  Novatian, 
the  earliest  instance  on  record  of  sprinkling,  or  af- 
fusion, for  baptism,  which  took  place  about  251. 


Promiscuous  Testimonies. 

The  Axglo-Saxon  Version  of  the  New  Testa- 
ment, made  as  early  as  the  middle  of  the  eighth 
century,  renders  baptizo  by  vernacular  terms.  A 
manuscript  copy  of  the  Gospels,  preserved  in  the 
Bodleian  Library,  styled,  "Exemplar  Rushworth- 
ianum,"  has  ';  depan  "  and  "  dippan,"  "  to  dip,"  as  a 
translation  of  baptizo  in  Matt.  3:  11,  and  "dip- 
pan  in  Matt,  28  :  19.  Another  manuscript,  in  the 
public  Library  at  Cambridge,  styled  "  Exemplar 


92        WAYMARKS   TO    APOSTOLIC    BAPTISM. 

Cantabrigiense,"  lias  "dyppan"  as  a  translation 
of  bapto,  in  Luke  16 :  24.  In  the  Anglo-Saxon 
Gospels,  as  edited  successively  by  Parker.  Mar- 
shall, and  Thorne,  bapto  is  rendered  "dyppan," 
i  to  dip,11  and  baptizo,  in  cases  not  relating  to  the 
Christian  rite,  is  rendered  by  "ihwean,"  '  to  wash,1 
or  '  bathe?  and  in  cases  relating  to  that  rite,  by 
il  fullian,11  '  to  full1  'perfect,1  'cleanse,1  or  'whiten,1 
which  seems  to  have  had  no  direct  reference  to 
the  outward  form  of  the  rite  ;  although  it  is  cer- 
tain, from  evidences  adduced  elsewhere,  that  that 
form,  as  practiced  in  the  Anglo-Saxon  Church, 
was  immersion;  but  the  term,  ufullian,"  was  pro- 
bably intended  to  designate  the  ordinance,  thus 
administered,  either  by  describing  the  effect  of 
such  a  complete  ablution,  or  by  referring  to  the 
white  costume  worn  by  candidates,  by  which  they 
were  distinguished,  and  on  account  of  which  the 
baptized  might  be  styled,  "  whitened;11  just  as  in  the 
time  of  Tyndal  they  were  said  to  be  "  volowed," 
because  volo,  '  I  will,'  was  the  response  of  the  can- 
didate to  questions  put  to  him  in  connection  with 

his  BAPTISM. 

John  Damascenus,  a  Greek  writer,  celebrated 
for  his  talents  and  learning,  and  an  illustrious 
father  of  the  Church  in  the  first  part  of  the  eighth 
century,  says : 


PROMISCUOUS  TESTIMONIES.  93 

"  For  by  the  three  immersions  baptism  sig- 
nifies the  three  days  of  the  Lord's  burial." — 
11  But  he  is  baptized,  not  as  needing  purifi- 
cation himself,  but  making  my  purification 
his  own,  in  order  that  he  might  bruise  the 
serpents'  heads  on  the  water  ;  that  he  might 
wash  out  the  sin,  and  bury  all  the  old  Adam 
in  the  water  ;  that  he  might  sanctify  the  bap- 
tizer,  that  he  might  fulfil  the  law,  that  he 
might  disclose  the  mystery  of  the  Trinity  ; 
that  he  might  become  an  example  and  a 
pattern  for  us  to  be  baptized." — De  Fid. 
Orth.  I.  4,  c.  9. 

Bede,  surnamed  the  Venerable,  a  father  and 
historian  in  the  ancient  Church  of  Britain,  a  man 
eminent  for  his  learning,  and  master  of  almost 
every  branch  of  literature,  speaking  of  a  soldier 
who  had  been  beheaded,  says  : 

"  Concerning  whom  it  is  very  evident  that, 
though  he  was  not  washed  in  the  font  of 
baptism,  yet  he  was  cleansed  in  the  bath  of 
his  own  blood  " — Eccles.  Hist.  B.  I.  c.  1 

And  relating  an  account  of  Paulinus's  ministry 
in  the  Province  of  Deiri,  Bede  says : 

"  He  baptized  in  the  river  Swale,  which 
runs  by  the  village  cataract ;  for  as  yet  ora- 


94        WAYMARKS   TO    APOSTOLIC    BAPTISM. 

tories  or  baptisteries,  in  the  very  beginning 
of  the  infant  Church  there,  could  not  be 
built."— B.  ii.  c.  14. 

The  following  account,  which  Bede  gives  on 
good  authority,  proves  that,  in  the  eighth  centnry 
Christians  inhabiting  the  country  where  Jesus  was 
baptized  understood  that  he  received  the  rite  in 
the  deep  waters  of  the  Jordan.     He  says : 

"In  the  place  where  our  Lord  was  bap- 
tized stands  a  wooden  cross,  as  high  as  a 
man's  neck,  and  sometimes  covered  by  the 
water.  From  it  to  the  further,  that  is,  the 
eastern  bank,  is  a  sling's  cast ;  and  on  the 
nearer  bank  is  a  large  monastery  of  St. 
John,  the  Baptist,  standing  on  a  rising 
ground,  and  famous  for  a  very  handsome 
church,  from  which  they  descend  to  the 
cross,  by  a  bridge  supported  on  arches,  to 
offer  up  their  prayers.  In  the  further  part 
of  the  river  is  a  quadrangular  church,  sup- 
ported on  four  stone  arches,  covered  with 
burnt  tiles,  where  our  Lord's  clothes  are 
said  to  have  been  kept  whilst  he  was  bap- 
tized."— DeLocis Sane.  Lib.,  Ven.  Bed.  Opera, 
torn.  iv.  pp.  430,  432. 

Again,  speaking  of  the  baptism  of  Christ,  Bede 


PROMISCUOUS  TESTIMONIES.  95 

"The  founder  of  the  waters  themselves 
came  to  be  baptized  in  the  waters,  that  to 
us,  who  were  conceived  in  iniquities,  and 
born  in  sins,  he  might  impart  the  desirable 
mystery  of  the  second  birth,  which  is  cele- 
brated by  water  and  spirit.''  "  No  one  of 
the  greater  personages  has  disdained  to  be 
baptized  into  the  remission  of  sins  by  my 
humble  ministry,  when  he  has  called  to  mind 
that  the  Lord,  who  baptizing  in  the  Holy 
Spirit,  is  accustomed  to  forgive  sins,  submit- 
ted his  own  head  to  the  hands  of  a  servant 
to  be  baptized  in  water." — Horn,  xxiii,  Ven. 
Bed.  Opera,  torn.  v.  pp.  164,  166. 

"  But  Jesus  being  baptized  and  praying, 
heaven  (says  he)  was  opened.  Because 
while  in  the  humility  of  his  body,  the  Lord 
went  under  the  waves  of  the  Jordan,  by  the 
power  of  his  divinity  he  opened  to  us  the 
gates  of  heaven.  And  while  his  immaculate 
flesh  is  dipped  in  the  cold  waters,  the  flam- 
ing sword,  formerly  set  over  against  our 
sins,  is  extinguished." — Expos.  Luc.  3  :  21, 
Ven.  Bed.  Opera,  torn.  x.  p.  353. 

The  Anglo-Saxon  Homily  of  ancient  date, 
speaking  of  a  child  about  to  be  baptized,  says  : 

"He  is  brought,  sinful  through  Adam's 


96        WAYMARKS   TO    APOSTOLIC    BAPTISM. 

disobedience,  to  the  font-vat.  But  he  is 
washed  from  all  sins  inwardly."  In  the  same 
connection  the  font  water  is  called  "a  well- 
spring  of  life." — Anal.  Anglo-  Sax.  vol.  i.  p. 
376. 

The  Arabic  Version,  made  in  the  seventh  cen- 
tury, renders  baptizo  by  the  native  term,  zuhuyhd, 
which,  according  to  Golius,  signifies  "  to  dip,  to  im- 
bue, immerse,  baptize  ;"  according  to  Freytag,  "  to 
dip,  immerse." 

Leo  [.,  surnamcd  the  Great,  who  was  at  the 
head  of  the  Roman  Church  in  A.  D.  440,  says  : 

"  In  the  regular  administration  of  bap- 
tism, death  also  takes  place  in  the  destruc- 
tion of  sin,  and  the  trine  immersion  resem- 
bles the  three  days'  burial,  and  the  rising  up 
from  the  waters  is  an  image  of  one  coming 
forth  from  the  sepulchre." — Leo  Mag.  JSpist. 
iv.  {nova  edit   xvi.)  cap.  3. 

The  Armenian  Version,  made  about  the  middle 
of  the  fifth  century,  by  Miesrob,  the  inventor  of 
the  Armenian  alphabet  assisted  by  Chorenensis, 
author  of  the  Armenian  History,  translates  bap- 
tizo by  the  native  term,  Mgrdjel,  which  Brand  and 
Aucher,  in  their  Armenian  lexicon  define,  "to 
baptize,    to  wash  by  plunging  into  water."     That 


PROMISCUOUS   TESTIMONIES.  97 

these  translators  used  the  word  in  this  sense  is 
evident  from  the  fact  that  they  employ  the  same 
term  to  translate  taval,  in  2  Kings  5 :  14,  where 
the  English  version  has  "  dipped." 

Socrates,  the  historian,  describing  the  baptism 
of  a  converted  Jew,  which  took  place  in  the  fifth 
century,  says: 

"  Being  a  paralytic  lie  was  lying  upon  a 
couch  for  many  years."  ..."  Having, 
therefore,  instructed  him  in  the  first  princi- 
ples of  Christian  truth,  and  having  preached 
the  hope  in  Christ,  he  [Atticus,  the  bishop,] 
directed  that  he  should  be  brought  with  the 
couch  to  the  baptistery.  And  the  paralytic 
Jew,  receiving  the  baptism  with  sincere 
faith,  being  taken  up  from  the  pool  of  the 
baptistery,"  &c. 

Describing  another  case  in  that  century,  the 
same  historian  says  : 

"  He  [the  bishop]  having  directed  that 
the  pool  of  the  baptistery  should  be  filled, 
led  the  Jew  to  it,  in  order  to  baptize  him." 

The  Abyssixiax  Ritual,  which  was  composed 
as  late  as  the  fourth  or  fifth  century,  and  used  for 
many  centuries,  contains  the  following*  direction : 

"The   priest   takes   them    and   immerses 


98        WAYMARKS   TO    APOSTOLIC    BAPTISM. 

them  three  times,  saying  :  '  I  baptize  thee,' 
&c. — Modus  Baptizandij  etc.  quibus  Ecclesia 
Ethio-pum  utitur ,  Ethiop.  et  Eat.  Rom.  1549, 
p.  19. 

John  Chrtsostom,  of  Antioch,  Patriarch  of 
Constantinople,  in  the  latter  part  of  the  fourth 
century,  speaking  of  baptism,  says : 

"  In  it  divine  symbols  are  celebrated  ;  a 
burial  and  death  and  resurrection  and  life, 
and  these  all  take  place  together.  For  just 
as  in  any  burial,  we  sinking  down  in  the  wa- 
ter as  to  our  heads,  the  old  man  is  buried, 
and  the  whole  sinking  down  is  hid  all  at  once. 
Then,  we  emerging,  the  new  man  comes  up 
again.  For  as  it  is  easy  for  us  to  be  bap- 
tized and  to  emerge,  so  it  is  easy  for  God  to 
bury  the  old  man,  and  to  bring  up  the  new 
man."  ...  "  For  as  it  is  easy  for  us  when 
we  are  baptized  to  emerge,  so  it  was  easy  for 
him  [Christ]  being  dead  to  rise  when  he 
pleased." — Horn,  in  Joh.  xxv.  §  2. 

St.  Augustine,  an  illustrious  father  of  the 
ChurclT,  and  Bishop  of  Hippo,  at  the  close  of  the 
fourth  century,  whose  authority  was,  according  to 
Petavius,  so  great  that,  "  the  fathers  and  doctors 
who  came  after  him,  and  even  the  popes  them- 
selves, and  the  councils  of  other  bishops,  have  all 


PROMISCUOUS  TESTIMONIES.  99 

of  them  been  of  opinion  that  it  was  a  sufficient 
proof  of  the  truth  of  any  opinion,  that  St.  Augus- 
tine had  taught  it,"  says  : 

"  After  that  ye  promised  to  believe  we 
three  times  immersed  your  heads  in  the  sa- 
cred font." — Sermo  De  Myst.  Bap. 

St.  Ambrose,  an  eminent  Christian  father  and 
a  distinguished  writer,  of  the  fourth  century,  or- 
dained bishop  of  Milan  in  375,  says : 

"Thou  wast  asked,  '  Dost  thou  believe  in 
God,  the  omnipotent  Father?'  Thou  saidst, 
'  I  believe/  and  thou  wast  immersed,  that  is, 
thou  wast  buried."  .  .  .  "Yesterday  we 
treated  of  the  font,  whose  appearance  is,  as 
it  were,  a  certain  form  of  the  sepulchre  ; 
into  which  we,  believing  in  the  Father  and 
the  Son,  and  the  Holy  Spirit,  are  taken  and 
immersed,  and  rise,  that  is,  are  resuscitated." 
.  .  .  "  What  is  the  resurrection,  unless  when 
we  rise  from  death  to  life  ?  So,  therefore, 
also  in  baptism,  since  it  is  a  similitude  of 
death,  without  doubt  while  thou  sinkest  un- 
der, and  risest  again,  there  is  a  similitude  of 
the  resurrection." — De  Sac.  lib.  ii.  cap.  7, 
lib.  iii.  c.  1. 

Gregory,  bishop  of  Nyssa,  in  371,  brother  of 


100     WAYMARKS   TO    APOSTOLIC    BAPTISM. 

Basil  the  Great,  and  author  of  the  Nicene  Creed, 
says: 

"He  is  baptized  in  holy  spirit,  who 
through  all  thoughts  and  words  and  deeds 
is  sanctified,  and  is  spiritual.  For  as  he 
who  is  baptized  into  water  is  wholly  wet,  so 
he  who  is  baptized  in  holy  spirit  becomes 
entirely  spiritual  and  holy,  being  perfected 
such  in  mind  and  action." — Damascenus  Sac. 
Par.  3.  4. 

Here  an  eminent  Bishop  of  the  fourth  century, 
writing  in  the  original  language  of  the  Apostles, 
declares  that,  "  he  who  is  baptized  into  water,  is 
wholly  wet  ;"  by  which  the  exclusive  significa- 
tion of  baptizo  in  New  Testament  Greek,  is  put 
beyond  a  doubt. 

St.  Basil,  surnamed  the  Great,  successor  of 
Eusebius  as  bishop  of  Caesarea,  in  370,  and  accord- 
ing to  the  learned  Basnage,  "  a  man  of  the  utmost 
sincerity  and  candor,  even  in  the  minutest  affairs, 
which  shine  forth,  no  less  than  his  erudition,  in 
the  numerous  works  he  has  left,"  says  : 

"For  the  bodies  of  those  baptized  are  as 
if  buried  in  the  water."  .  .  .  "  In  three  im- 
mersions, therefore,  and  an  equal  number  of 
invocations,  the  great  mystery  of  baptism  is 
completed." — Lib.  De  Spir.  Sand.  cup.  15. 


PROMISCUOUS   TESTIMONIES.  101 

St.  Ephrem,  the  Syrian,  a  writer  of  the  fourth 
century,  who  was  so  highly  esteemed  for  his  learn- 
ing and  piety  that  his  works  are  said  to  have  been 
publicly  read  in  the  churches  after  the  Holy  Scrip- 
tures, expresses  his  admiration  at  the  humility  of 
Christ  in  allowing  himself  to  be  buried  in  a  river, 
when  contrasted  with  his  majesty  in  walking  on 
the  mighty  deep.    He  says  : 

"It  is  wonderful  !  thy  footsteps  were 
planted  on  the  waters,  the  great  sea  sub- 
iected  itself  under  thy  feet ;  and  yet  at  a 
small  river,  that  same  head  of  thine  subject- 
ed itself ;  it  was  bowed  down  and  immersed 
in  it." — Ephr.  Syr.  Op.  Tom.  vi.  (Syr.  iii.) 
■p.  24.   Sermo  x.  Rom.  ed.  1743. 

The  Ethiopic  or  Abysinian  Version,  made  as 
early  as  the  middle  of  the  fourth  century,  renders 
baptizo  by  the  native  term,  tamaka,  which  is  de- 
fined by  the  celebrated  Ludolph,  in  his  Lexicon 
Ethiopico-Latinum,  edition  of  1699,  as  follows  : 

"  Generally,  dipped,  dipped  in,  immersed; 
specifically,  baptized  or  immersed  into  water." 

The  Gothic  Version,  made  from  the  Greek,  by 
Olphilas,  Bishop  of  the  Moesians,  in  the  fourth 
century,  renders    baptizo  by  the    native   term, 


102     WAYMARKS    TO    APOSTOLIC    BAPTISM. 

daupjan,  or  ufdaupjan,  which  meant  nothing  else 
but  '  to  dip '  or  '  submerge.''  * 

The  Apostolical  Constitutions,  so  called, 
though  not  from  the  Apostles  themselves,  are  nev- 
ertheless reliable  in  their  descriptions  of  bap- 
tism, as  practiced  by  the  oriental  Church  in  the 
fourth  century  ;  and  they  say  : 

"  The  water  is  instead  of  a  burial.  .  . 
the  immersion,  the  dying  with,  the  emersion, 
the  rising  with  Christ." — Lib.  iii.  c.  17. 

The  Apostolical  Constitutions  also  contain  a 
passage  which  shows  that,  as  religious  ceremonies 
among  the  Jews,  baptisms  and  sprinklings  were 
so  entirely  distinct  that  the  latter  could  not  be 
comprehended  in  the  former.    The  Lord  is  there 


*Daupjax,  with  its  derivatives  in  other  dialects  of  the 
Teutonic  family,  is  defined  by  Meidinger,  in  his  Diciion- 
naire  Etymologique  et  comparatif  des  Langues  Teuto- 
Gothiques,  Frank,  edit.,  1833,  p.  400,  thus  :  "  dippex,  eix- 

TACCHKX,  EXFOXCER.  PLOXGER.  Ang.  S.  DIPPAX,  DYPPAX, 
P LONGER .  BAPTISER :  DTFAX ,  DLFIAX ,  GEDUFLAX ,  PLOXGER.  Eng. 
TO  DIP,  TO  DIVE,  PLOXGER.  Holl.  DOOPEX.  Swed.  DOEPA. 
Dan     DYPPE.      It.    TUFFARE. 

Taufex,  baptiser.  Ang.S.  DYPPAN,  DIPPAX,  DEPAN,  DYFAN. 
Swed.  doepa.     Dan.  doebe.    Hoi.  doopex.     AltD.DOCFAX. 

Alt  G.  DACPJAX,  PLOXGER  SE  LAYER. 

See  also  Junius'  Gothicum  Glossarium  ;  also  his  Etymo- 
logicum  Anglicanum,  Spellman,  Wachter  Glossarium  Ger- 
manicum,  Lhre  Glossarium  .-uio-Gothicum  ;  also  Adelung's 
Worterbuch  ;  and  the  Glossarium  Universale  Hebraicum, 
Paris  edit.,  1797,  under  tavaxg  and  tsayaxg. 


PROMISCUOUS  TESTIMONIES.  103 

represented,  und^|  the  Jewish  dispensation,  as 
prescribing  certain  ceremonies  and  observances, 
thus: 

"  I  enjoin  upon  thee  such  ordinances,  puri- 
fications, frequent  baptisms,  sprinklings ;  and 
such  abstinences,  various  rests." — Lib.  ci. 
c.  20. 

Cyrill,  Bishop  of  Jerusalem,  about  the  middle 
of  the  fourth  century,  writes  as  follows  : 

"  Simon,,  the  magician,  also,  once  came 
to  the  bath.  He  was  baptized,  but  he  was 
not  enlightened.  And  the  body,  indeed,  he 
dipped  in  water,  but  the  heart  he  did  not 
enlighten  in  spirit.  The  body,  indeed,  both 
went  down  and  came  up ;  but  the  soul  was 
not  buried  with  Christ,  nor  was  it  raised." — 
Promt.  §  2. 

Cyrill,  in  another  place,  addressing  the  bap 
tized  in  general,  says : 

"  After  these  things  ye  were  led  to  the 
sacred  pool  of  divine  baptism,  as  Christ  was 
taken  from  the  cross  to  the  prepared  tomb. 
And  each  was  asked  if  he  believed  in  the 
name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of 
the  Holy  Spirit.  And  ye  confessed  the 
saving  confession,  and  sank  down  three  times 
into  the  toater,  and  again  emerged  ;  and  here, 


104     WAYMARKS   TO    APOSTOLIC    BAPTISM. 

by  a  figure  covertly  repreHhting  the  three 
days'  burial  of  Christ.  For  as  our  Savior 
spent  three  days  and  three  nights  in  the 
bowels  of  the  earth,  so  ye  also  in  the  first 
emersion  imitate  the  first  day  of  Christ  in  the 
earth,  and  in  the  immersion,  the  night." — 
Cateck  20.  Mystag.  ii.  §  4. 

Cyprian,  Bishop  of  Carthage,  in  his  letter  to 
Magnus,  written  not  long  after  the  first  instance  of 
clinical  affusion  for  baptism,  ^vhich  i8  now  known 
to  history,  says : 

"  You  wish  to  know,  also,  very  dear  son, 
what  I  think  of  those  who  obtain  the  grace 
of  God  in  sickness  and  feebleness,  whether 
they  ought  to  be  regarded  as  legitimate 
Christians,  since  they  have  not  been  bathed 
in  salutary  water,  but  perfused."  ...  "In 
the  saving  sacraments,  when  necessity  com- 
pels and  God  grants  his  indulgence,  divine 
compendiums  confer  the  whole  on  those  who 
believe."  ...  "As  far  as  it  is  given  to  us 
by  faith  to  conceive  and  to  think,  my  opinion 
is  this,  that  whoever  shall  have  obtained 
divine  grace  in  the  Church  by  the  law  and 
right  of  faith,  may  be  deemed  a  legitimate 
Christian.  Or,  if  any  one  thinks  that  they 
have  obtained  nothing,  since  they  were  only 


PROMISCUOUS   TESTIMONIES.  105 

perfused  with  the  salutary  water,  but  are 
destitute  and  empty,  let  them  not  be  de- 
ceived, so  as  that,  if  they  shall  have  escaped 
the  inconvenieuce  of  feebleness  and  recover- 
ed, they  should  be  baptized." — Cypr.  Epis. 
76. 

Here,  about  the  middle  of  the  third  century,  an 
appeal  is  made  to  a  metropolitan  Bishop  to  deter- 
mine whether  persons,  who,  on  account  of  "  sickness 
and  feebleness,"  had  not  been  "  bathed  in  salutary 
water,  but  perfused,"  for  baptism,  "  ought  to  be  re- 
garded as  legitimate  Christians."  The  fact  of 
this  appeal  proves  that  affusion,  to  say  nothing  of 
sprinkling,  was  not  at  that  time  considered  as  hav- 
ing been  practiced  or  in  any  way  authorized  by 
the  Apostles  ;  and  that  being  "  bathed  in  salutary 
water  "  was  then  the  only  unquestionable  mode  of 
administering  the  sacred  rite. 

In  his  answer  the  Bishop  admits  affusion  to  be  a 
"compendium,''  or  abridgement  of  the  original  au- 
thentic rite,  and  justifies  its  use  in  no  case,  except 
"  when  necessity  compels,  and  God  grants  his  indul- 
gence;" and  for  its  validity,  even  in  such  extremi- 
ty, he  finds  no  divine  or  Apostolic  authority,  but 
gives  it  merely  as  his  "  opinion."  And  finally  the 
Bishop  admonishes  such  as  had  been,  on  account 
of  sickness,  "  only  perfused  with  the  salutary  wa- 


106      WAYMARKS  TO  APOSTOLIC  BAPTISM. 

ter,"  in  case  of  their  recovery,  not  to  be  induced 
by  those  who  thought  such  "  compendium"  insuf- 
ficient, to  be  baptized  ;  from  which  it  is  evident 
that  with  him  ''baptized"  meant  something  more 
than  "  perfused  with  the  salutary  water  ;"  else  he 
would  have  said,  not  "baptized,"  but  re-bap- 
tized. 

Calistus  Nicephorus,  a  well-known  Greek  his- 
torian, in  his  account  of  the  early  Church  by 
using  a  particle  adapted  to  ironical  expressions, 
seems  to  speak  disparagingly  of  Novatian's  cir- 
cumfusion,  as  though  he  was  not  thereby  really 
baptized.     He  says : 

"  Being  expected  to  die,  he  asked  to  re- 
ceive the  water ;  which  being  circumfused 
even  in  the  couch  itself  where  he  was  lying, 
forsooth  baptized  him." — JYiceph.  Ecdes.  Hist. 

Henry  Valesids,  a  critic  of  vast  erudition, 
profound  learning,  and  solid  judgment,  in  his  edi- 
tion of  Eusebius,  speaks  of  Novatian's  initiation 
thus : 

"  Since  baptism  properly  signifies  immer- 
sion, a  perfusion  of  this  kind  could  scarcely 
be  called  baptism." — Euseb.Eccles.  Hist.  Lib 
vi.  c.  43.,  Ed.Vales. 

Cornelius,  Bishop  of  Rome,  in  a  letter  to  Fab 


PROMISCUOUS   TESTIMONIES,  101 

ius,  Bishop  of  x\ntioch,  speaking  of  the  ordination 
of  Novatian,  says : 

"  The  officiating  bishop  was  "  utterly  for- 
bidden by  all  the  clergy,  and  also  by  many 
of  the  laity,  because  it  was  not  lawful  that 
one,  who  had  been  circumfused  upon  a  couch 
by  reason  of  sickness,  even  as  this  one,  should 
be  inducted  into  any  clerical  order.  He 
[the  Bishop]  requested  that  it  should  be 
granted  him  to  ordain  this  one  only — Euseb. 
Eccles.  Hist.  Lib.  vi.  c.  43. 

Novatian,  who  lived  near  the  middle  of  the 
third  century,  furnishes  the  first  instance  on  re- 
cord, in  the  practice  of  the  primitive  Church, 
where  anything  short  of  immersion  was  used  for 
BaPTisn.  He  being  too  sick  to  be  immersed,  and  the 
sacred  rite  being  considered  essential  to  salvation, 
he  was  circumfused.  The  case  is  described  by  Corne- 
lius, bishop  of  Rome,  in  a  letter  to  Fabius,  bishop 
of  Antioch,  as  follows : 

"  Being  aided  by  the  exorcists,  when  at- 
tacked with  a  dangerous  disease,  and  being 
supposed  at  the  point  of  death,  he  received 
it,  being  circumfused  in  the  couch  itself, 
where  he  was  lying  ;  if,  indeed,  it  is  proper 
to  say  that  such  a  man  has  received  it." 


PAKT  FIFTH. 


This  part  extends  from  the  circumfusion  of  No-va- 
tian,  which  took  place  about  the  middle  of  the 
third  century,  to  the  Apostolic  age,  and  compre- 
hends the  most  reliable  testimonies  as  to  the  mode 
of  baptism,  next  to  the  Sacred  Writings. 


Promiscuous  Testimonies. 

The  Coptic  Version,  made  into  the  dialect  of 
Lower  Egypt,  where  the  Scriptures  were  at  first 
read  in  the  original,  rendered  the  Greek  baptizo, 
in  the  third  century,  by  the  native  term  omas, 
which  signifies  '  submerge. '  * 

*  Omas. — For  the  meaning  of  this  term,  in  its  substan- 
tive and  verbal  forma,  see  La  Croze  and  Woide's  definitions; 
also  Tattam's  Lexicon  jEgyptiaco-Latinum,  Oxon.  ed.,  1835, 
thus:  "  katapontUmos,  Vulg.  prcEcipitatio,  Ps.  51  [52]  :  4. 
Baptisrrws,  baptismus,  Matt.  3  :  7.  Kaiaponiizein,  sub- 
mergere,  Ps.  54  [55]:  9.    Kataduneinf  descendere  in  profun- 


110      WAYMARKS  TO  APOSTOLIC  BAPTISM. 

Lattn  Versions  of  the  New  Testament  were 
made  soon  after,  if  not  duriog  the  Apostolic  age,* 
in  which  baptizo  was  rendered  by  the  native  term 
tingo,  in  the  sense  of  '  dip,'  or  'immersion.' \  But 
in  the  third  century  the  original  term  was  trans- 
ferred into  the  Latin  Scriptures,  and  has  ever 
since  been  kept  in  the  authorized  versions  of  that 
language,  as  an  ecclesiastical  word.  X  It  should 
be  remembered,  however,  that  when  this  term  was 

dum,  Ex.  15:  5.  Katapineslhai,  devorari,  Ps.  106  [107]: 
27.  BaptestTiai,  submergi.  Lev.  11 :  32.  Baptizein,bapiiiarp, 
Matt.  3:  11."  Consider,  also,  that  the  same  word  is  used 
to  translate  katajxmtizo,  in  Matt.  14:  30;  18  :  6  ;  and  bitfhizo, 
in  Luke  5:7;  1  Tim.  6:9;  the  only  instances  where  these 
words  occur  in  the  Xew  Testament  ;  and  katapino,  in  Heb. 
11:  19. 

*See  TertuJ.  adv.  Marcion,  12b.  ii.  c.  9  ;  lib.  5.  c.  4;  also, 
de  Monog.,  cap.  11;  and  adv  Prax.  cap.  5;  also,  Wetstein's 
Probg.  Appendix;  and  the  Diss,  in  his  edition  of  Teitul. 
Hal.  1773,  torn.  v.  p.  230,  seq. 

f  The  meaning  of  this  word  is  obvious  from  its  usage  in 
the  Latin  fathers  ;  and  in  the  Vulgate,  at  Gen.  37:  31  ;  Ex. 
12:  22:  Lev. -4:  17;  9:  9;  14:  6;  16:  51;  Numb.  19:  18;  Dent. 
33:  24;  Josh.  3  ;  15  :  and  other  places,  where  tingo  is  used 
to  translate  the  Hebrew  taral,  and  where  the  English  has 
rendered  taval,  '  to  dij). ' 

Grotius,  moreover,  whose  authority  ought  to  be  conclu- 
sive on  this  subject,  says:  "That  the  ancients  use  tingere 
for  RAPTIZARE  in  Latin  should  not  seem  strange,  since  in 
Latin  the  word  Lin<;ere  is  properiy,  and  for  the  most  part, 
equivalent  to-mersare." — See  Grotius  on  Matt.  3  :  6. 

JArccsiiXE,  in  his  letter  against  Julian,  the  Pelagian  Bishop 
of  Eclanum,  speaking  of  kaptizo,  says  :  ■'  The  use  of  this 
word  from  the  Greek  is  such  in  Latin,  that  it  is  not  accus- 
tomed to  be  understood  elsewhere  but  in  the  sacrament  of 
regeneration." 


PROMISCUOUS   TESTIMONIES.  Ill 

first  transferred,  and,  indeed,  for  many  centuries 
afterwards,  the  Greek  language  was  generally  un- 
derstood by  the  Latins  ;  so  that  the  term  as  trans- 
ferred into  the  Latin  language  must  have  had  the 
same  meaning  as  the  original  term  had  in  Greek. 
One  of  the  numerous  evidences  of  this  is  found  in 
the  usage  of  Latin  writers,  who  employed  baptizo 
and  mergo  interchangeably,  and  without  discrimin- 
ation in  respect  to  the  form  of  the  action  indica- 
ted, to  translate  the  same  original  term  ;  of  which 
we  have  a  fair  example  in  the  Latin  version  of  the 
forty-ninth  Apostolical  canon,  as  made  in  the 
sixth  century,  by  Dionysius  Exiguus,  who  was, 
according  to  Cassiodorus,  "  a  good  Latin  writer, 
and  well  acquainted  with  the  Greek  language, 
from  which  he  translated  much."  * 

Origex,  an  illustrious  father  of  the  Church  inr 
the  beginning  of  the  third  century,  who  has  re- 
ceived the  highest   eulogies  from  the  best  and 

■  *This  capon  reads  as  follows  :  "  If  any  Bishop  or  Pres- 
byter shall  celebrate  not  three  immersions,  [original,  tria 
baptismata,  rendered  by  Dionysius  trinam  mersionem,']  but 
one  immersion,  [original  hen  baptisma,  rendered  by  Diony- 
sius  semel  merged  in  baptismate,]  given  in  the  Lord's  death, 
let  him  be  deposed.  For  the  Lord  did  not  say:  '  Baptize 
[original  bapti<ate.  transferred  by  Dionysius  baptizate]  in  my 
death  ;'  but,  '  Go,  teach  all  nations,  baptizing,'  etc.  [origi- 
nal baftizoxtes,  transferred  by  Dionysius  BAPTBANTK8.]"See 
Apos.  Can.  in  Lai.  Concil.  From  this  it  is  obvious  that  the 
Greek  word  baptizo  was  transferred  by  the  Latins  in  the 
Bense  of  immersion. 


112     WAYMARKS    TO    APOSTOLIC    BAPTISM. 

greatest  men  among  both  ancients  and  moderns, 
says : 

"In  the  regeneration,  therefore,  by  a 
bath,  we  were  buried  with  Christ ;  for  we 
were  buried  with  him,  according  to  the  Apos- 
tle, by  baptism." — Orig.  in  Matt.  3  :  11. 

St.mmachus,  in  his  Greek  version  of  the  Old 
Testament,  made  about  A.  D.  200,  and  published 
in  Origen's  "  Hexapla,"  translates  the  Hebrew 
tavang,  which  Gesenius  defines,  "  to  immerse,  sub- 
merge," by  the  Greek  baptizo. 

Tkrtullian,  a  distinguished  Christian  father, 
who  flourished  at  the  close  of  the  second  century, 
and  whom  Eusebius  pronounces  "  one  of  the  ablest 
Latin  writers,  says : 

"We  are  iminersed  three  times,  answering 
something  more  than  the  Lord  in  the  Gos- 
pel appointed."  ....  "And  there  is,  there- 
fore, no  distinction  ;  any  one  may  be  washed 
in  the  sea  or  in  a  pool,  in  the  river  or  in  a 
fountain,  in  the  lake  or  in  a  bath.  Nor  is 
there  any  material  difference  between  those 
whom  John  dipped  in  the  Jordan,  and  those 
whom  Peter  dipped  in  the  Tiber."  .  .  .  "So 
also  in  us  the  chrism  runs  over  the  flesh,  but 
profits  the  spirit ;  in  which  manner  also  the 


PROMISCUOUS   TESTIMONIES.  113 

act  of  baptism  itself  pertains  to  fbe  flesh,  be- 
cause we  are  immersed  in  water  ;  the  effect  is 
spiritual,  because  we  are  freed  from  sins." — 
De  Cor.  Cap.  3.  De  Bap.  cap.  4,  7. 

Tertullian  again  compares  the  water  of  bap- 
tism to  the  deluge,  and  the  person  baptized,  to 
the  submerged  earth.  After  describing  the  literal 
flood,  the  ark,  the  dove,  the  emerging  purified  earth, 
and  the  olive  leaf,  he  says  : 

"  By  the  same  disposition  there  is  a  spir- 
itual effect  to  the  earth,  that  is,  to  our 
flesh  ;  to  one  emerging  from  the  bath,  after 
the  old  sins,  the  dove  of  the  Holy  Spirit, 
bringing  the  peace  of  God,  flies,  sent  from 
heaven,  where  the  Church  is  a  figurative 
ark." — DtmBap.  cap.  8. 

The  Peschito  Striac  Version,  "which  is  sup- 
posed to  be  the  oldest  extant,  having  been  made 
as  early  as  the  third,  if  not  in  the  second  fpitury, 
in  the  same  country  where  the  Apostles  lived  and 
wrote  ;  where  both  the  Syriac  and  the  Greek  were 
constantly  used  and  perfectly  understood  ;  and 
which  Michaelis,  a  competent  judge,  pronounces 
the  very  best  translation  of  the  Greek  Testament 
which  he  ever  read ;  renders  the  Greek  baptizo  by 
the  native  Syriac  term  gnamadh,  which,  according 


114     WAYMARKS   TO    APOSTOLIC    BAPTISM. 

to  the  most  unquestionable  authority,  signifies  '  to 
immerse?  * 

*  This  word  is  defined  by  lexicographers  as  follows  : 

Casteix,  in  his  Lex.  Heptaglot,  London,  1669,  thus  :  "To 
bathe,  baptize,  immerse." 

Michaeus,  in  his  Lex.  Syr.  Gottingen,  1788,  thus :  "  To 
bathe,  baptize,  immerse;"  to  which  he  adds  the  following  ; 
"  In  this  signification  of  baptizing,  not  a  few  have  compared 
it  with  the  Hebrew  ynamadh,  'to  stand  ■'  so  that  'to  stand' 
may  be  to  stand  in  a  river,  aud  to  be  immersed  in  it.  To  me 
it  is  more  likely  altogether  different  from  the  Hebrew 
gnamadh.  and  by  some  change  of  letters  derived  from  the 
Arabic  gnamat,  '  to  submerge.'  The  signification  of  'standing,' 
common  to  other  oriental  languages,  I  do  not  find  among 
the  Syrians,  unless  in  the  derivation  gnamud,  [a  pillar,] 
which  is  cited  from  one  place  by  Castell,  and  is  commonly 
found  where  in  Hebrew  is  read  gnammudh  hegnenen,  'a  pil- 
lar of  cloud,'  gnammudh  haesh,  '  a  pillar  of  fire.' 

Schaaf,  in  hi",  Lex.  Syr.  ed.  Lyons,  170S,  defines  it  thus 
"  To  bathe  one's  self,  to  bathe,  dip,  immerse  into  water,  bap- 
tize. ' ' 

Guido  Frabriccs,  in  his  Lex.  Syro.  Chal. ,  accompanying 
the  Antwerp  Polyglot,  ed.  Antwerp,  1592,  thus  :  "  Baptizb, 
dip,  bathe." 

Schindler,  in  his  Lex.  Pentaglot,  ed.  Hanover,  1612,  thus  ; 
"  Baptize,  immerse  in  water,  dip,  bathe." 

Bcxtorf,  in  his  Lex.  Chal.  et  Syr.,  ed.  Basle,  1622,  thus  : 
"  Baptize,  dip,  bathe,  bathe  one's  self." 

BEZA^n  his  note  on  Matt.  8":  11,  defines  the  Greek  bap- 
tizo,  "  to  dip,  to  immerse,"  and  says,  "  Nor  does  the  signi- 
fication of  the  verb  gnamadh,  which  the  Syrians  use  for 
BAPTIZE,  differ  from  this." 

Greenfield,  in  his  masterly  Defense  of  the  Mahratta  Ver- 
sion, speaking  of  the  Syriac  gnamadh,  says,  "Whatever 
may  be  its  derivation,  it  is  perfectly  clear  that  its  proper 
signification  is  '  to  immerse.'  " 

Michafjlis,  speaking  of  the  Greek  baptizo  and  baptisma 
says,  "  If  any  man  wishes  to  know  what  terms  Jesus  would 
use  in  the  language  which  he  spake,  for  these  words,  they 


PROMISCUOUS  TESTIMONIES.  115 

■  Justin,  the  Christian  philosopher  and  martyr, 
who  flourished  in  the  former  part  of  the  second 
century,  describes  the  manner  of  administering 
baptism  in  his  time,  as  follows  : 

"  Afterwards  they  [the  candidates]  are 
led  by  us  where  there  is  water,  and  in  the 
manner  of  regeneration,  in  which  we  also 
ourselves  were  regenerated,  they  are  regen- 
erated ;  for  in  the  name  of  God,  the  father 
and  sovereign  of  all,  and  of  our  Savior  Jesus 
Christ,  and  the  Holy  Spirit,  they  are  then 
lathed  in  the  water."  "  If  Mary  annointed 
the  Lord  with  myrrh  before  the  burial,  and 
we  celebrate  the  symbols  of  his  sufferings 
and  resurrection  in  baptism,  how  is  it  that 
we  first  indeed  annoint  witl*  oil,  and  then, 
celebrating  the  aforesaid  symbols  in  the  pool, 
afterwards  annoint  with  myrrh  V* — Apol.  i. 
§  61  ;  Quest,  ad  Or t hod.  137. 

Aquila,  of  Pontus,  in  his  Greek  version  of  the 


would  be,  gnamadh  and  Uavang,  from  which  last  the  disci- 
ples of  John  are  caUed  Sabians,  th&t  is,  2)lungerg.'" — Dogmat- 
ic.   Yon  der  Taufe,  §  128,  p.  623. 

The  Sabians,  a  curious  people  of  the  East,  consisting  in 
the  seventeenth  century  of  some  twenty  thousand  families, 
and  professing  to  be  Galileans,  descendants  of  the  first  dis- 
ciples of  John,  the  Baptist,  practice  immersion  in  a,  running 
stream,  and  admit  nothing  else  to  be  valid  BAPTISM. — See 
Thevenot's  Voyage  to  the  Levant,  liv.  iii. ,  chap.  ii.  See,  also, 
Wolf's  testimony. 


116     WAYMARKS   TO    APOSTOLIC    BAPTISM. 

Old  Testament,  made  A.  D.  128,  which  Jerome 
said  was  a  good  dictionary  to  give  the  genuine 
meauing  of  the  Hebrew  words,  employs  baptizo 
to  translate  taval ;  where  the  Septuagint  has  bapto, 
and  the  English  'plunge?  as  Job  9  :  31. 


This  takes  us  back  to  the  Apostolic  age,  when 
baptism,  it  must  be  presumed,  was  administered 
according  to  the  divine  command,  and  the  exam 
pie  of  Jesus  Christ. 


PART  SIXTH. 


This  part  extends  from  the  close  of  the  nwi 
century  to  the  advent  of  John  the  Baptist,  and 
comprehends  such  passages  from  the  New  Testa- 
ment and  contemporaneous  writings  as  either  de- 
scribe the  act  of  baptism,  or  furnish  a  clue  to  the 
mode  of  its  administration. 


Witnesses  of  the  Apostolic  Age. 

Hermas,  who  is  generally  allowed  to  be  the 
same  Hermas  whom  Paul  recognized  as  a  fellow 
laborer  in  the  gospel,  describes  the  rite,  as  then 
practiced,  thus : 

"  But  that  seal  is  the  water,  into  which 
men  go  down  bound  to  death,  but  come  up 
assigned  to  life."  ..."  I  have  heard  from 
certain  teachers  that  there  is  no  other  re- 
pentance  except  that,  when  we    go  down 


118     WAYMARKS   TO    APOSTOLIC    BAPTISM. 

into  the  water,  and  receive  the  remission  of 
our  sins,  to  sin  no  more,  but  to  remain  in 
uprightness." 

Barnabas,  who  was,  according  to  the  opinion 
of  learned  men,  Paul's  companion,  of  whom  Luke 
says :  "  He  was  a  good  man,  and  full  of  the  Holy- 
Ghost  and  of  faith,"  speaking  of  baptism,  says : 

"Happy  are  they,  who,  trusting  in  the 
cross,  go  down  into  the  water."  ...  "  We, 
indeed,  go  down  into  the  water  full  of  sins 
and  uncleanness,  and  we  come  up  bringing 
forth  fear  in  the  heart,  and  having  in  the 
spirit  hope  in  Jesus." 

John,  the  Evangelist,  in  his  Gospel,  written 
about  the  close  of  the  first  century,  referring  to 
the  Baptist,  says : 

"  John,  also,  was  baptizing  in  Enon,  near 
to  Salim,  because  there  was  much  water  there." 
—John  3  :  23. 

Luke,  the  Evangelist,  in  the  Acts  of  the  Apos- 
tles, written  about  A.  D.  63,  referring  to  Philip  and 
the  Eunuch,  says : 

"  They  went  down  loth  into  the  water,  both 
Philip  and  the  Eunuch  ;  and  he  baptized 
him.  And  when  they  were  come  up  out  of 
the  water,  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  caught  away 


WITNESSES  OF  THE  APOSTOLIC  AGE.      119 

Philip,  that  the  Eunuch  saw  him  no  more  ; 
and  he  went  on  his  way  rejoicing." — Acts  8: 
38,  39. 

Paul,  the  Apostle,  in  his  Epistle  to  the  Romans, 
written  about  A.  D.  58,  speaking  of  Christians  as 
baptized  into  the  death  of  Christ,  says  : 

"  We  are  buried  with  him  by  baptism  into 
death ;  that  like  as  Christ  was  raised  up 
from  the  dead  by  the  glory  of  the  Father, 
even  so  we  also  should  walk  in  newness  of 
life.  For  if  we  have  been  planted  together 
in  the  likeness  of  his  death,  we  shall  be  also  in 
the  likeness  of  his  resurrection." — Rom.  6  : 
4,  5.     See,  also,  Col.  2:  12. 

Matthew,  the  Evangelist,  in  his  Gospel,  written 
about  A.  D.  38,  describes  the  baptism  of  our  bless, 
ed  Savior,  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  as  follows  : 

"  Then  cometh  Jesus  from  Galilee  to  Jor- 
dan, unto  John,  to  be  baptized  of  him.  But 
John  forbade  him  ;  saying,  '  I  have  need  to 
be  baptized  of  thee,  and  comest  thou  to  me  V 
And  Jesus,  answering,  said  unto  him,  '  Suf- 
fer it  to  be  so  now ;  for  thus  it  becometh 
us  to  fulfil  all  righteousness.'  Then  he  suf- 
fered him.  And  Jesus,  when  he  was  bap- 
tized, went  up  straightway  out  of  the  water, 
and,  lo,  the  heavens  were  opened  unto  him, 


120      WAYMARKS  TO  APOSTOLIC  BAPTISM. 

and  he  saw  the  Spirit  of  God  descending 
like  a  dove,  and  lighting  upon  him.  And, 
lo,  a  voice  from  heaven  saying,  'This  is  my 
beloved  Son,  in  whom  I  am  well  pleased.'" — 
Matt.  3:  13,  17. 

The  word  baptizo  conveyed  to  those  who  un- 
derstood the  Greek  language,  in  the  Apostolic 
age,  a  full  and  definite  idea  of  the  act,  which  it 
was  then  used  to  denote.  Hence,  that  act  is  no- 
where in  the  New  Testament  otherwise  particu- 
larly described.  But  something  may  be  gathered 
from  the  comparisons,  illustrations  and  incidental 
allusions,  which  the  sacred  writers  have  made  in 
connection  with  the  rite  of  baptism,  and  from  the 
circumstances  attending  its  administration,  of 
which  the  following  are  worthy  of  consideration  : 

1.  In  every  instance  where  the  New  Testament 
defines  the  place  in  which  this  rite  was  adminis- 
tered, it  is  seen  to  be,  not  only  such  as  furnished 
facilities  for  immersion,  but  such  as  would  scarcely 
be  resorted  to  for  any  other  use  of  water,  as  the 
river  Jordan. 

2.  It  is  distinctly  said,  in  John  3  :  23,  that  the 
rite  was  administered  in  iEnon,  "  because  there 
was  much  water  there  ;"  which,  according  to  the 
most  natural  construction,  conveys  the  idea  that 
an  abundance  of  water  was  needed  for  the  pur 


WITNESSES  OF  THE  APOSTOLIC  AGE.      121 

pose  of  baptizing,  such  as  nothing  but  immersion 
would  require. 

3.  In  every  instance  where  the  New  Testament 
gives  a  distinct  account  of  the  movements  of  the 
candidate  and  the  administrator,  immediately 
preceding  and  following  the  action  of  baptism, 
they  are'  spoken  of  as  going  down  into  the  water  and 
coming  up  out  of  the  water,  which  they  would  not 
be  likely  to  do,  except  for  the  purpose  of  immer- 
sion. 

4.  The  Apostle  Paul  calls  the  act  of  baptism  a 
burial,  which  is  generally  taken  to  be  descriptive 
of  the  manner  in  which  that  rite  was  administered 
by  the  Apostles.  So  the  late  Moses  Stuart,  a  Con- 
gregationalist  clergyman,  and  Professor  of  sacred 
Literature  in  the  Theological  Seminary  at  An- 
dover,  Mass.,  in  his  note  on  Rom.  6  :  4,  says : 

"  Most  commentators  have  maintained, 
that  the  original  word  has  here  a  necessary 
reference  to  the  mode  of  literal  baptism, 
which  they  say  was  by  immersion  ;  and  this, 
they  think,  affords  ground  for  the  employ- 
ment of  the  image  used  by  the  Apostle, 
because  immersion  under  water  may  be  com- 
pared to  burial  under  the  earth." 


PART  SEVENTH. 


This  part  extends  back  about  tbree  centuries 
anterior  to  the  Christian  era,  embracing,  how- 
ever, but  one  example.  In  the  Greek  version  of 
the  Hebrew  Scriptures,  made  about  285  years 
before  Christ,  and  for  more  than  three  hundred 
years  held  in  the  highest  estimation  by  the  Jews, 
and  often  authoritatively  quoted  by  Christ  and  the 
Apostles,  the  Greek  baptizo  was  used  to  translate 
the  Hebrew  iaval,  in  2  Kings  5  :  14,  where  the 
original  certainly  signifies  to  dip,  plunge,  or  im- 
merse. And  the  ancient  Armenian  version  of  the 
Old  Testament,  made  from  the  Septuagint  as 
early  as  the  fourth  or  fifth  century,  translated 
baptizo  in  this  place  by  a  word  which  signifies 
to  immerse.  Trommius,  in  his  Concordance  to  the 
Greek  Old  Testament,  takes  baptizo,  as  here 
used,  in  the  sense  of  immerse.  Charles  Thompson, 
Secretary  to  the  Continental  Congress,  in  his 
English  version  of  the  Septuagint,  published  at 


124      WAYMARKS  TO  APOSTOLIC  BAPTISM. 

Philadelphia  in  1808,  translates  baptizo  in  this 
place  dipped.  And  Sir  Lancelot  C.  L.  Brenton,  in 
his  English  version  of  the  Septuagint,  published 
by  the  Bagsters,  of  London,  in  1844,  translates 
baptizo  in  this  place  by  the  English  dipped.  From 
all  which  it  must  be  evident  that  the  Greek  bap- 
tizo was  used  some  three  centuries  before  the 
Christian  era  in  the  sense  of  dip,  plunge,  or  immerse. 


PAET  EIGHTH. 


This  part  consists  of  a  few  examples,  from 
which  it  appears  that  baptizo  was  not  used,  either 
in  the  classics  or  in  sacred  literature,  to  signify 
anything  less  than  immersion. 


Special  Mcamples  of  Baptizo. 

Pindar,  the  celebrated  Greek  poet,  who  wrote 
about  450  before  Christ,  describing  the  impotent 
malice  of  his  enemies,  compares  himself  to  the 
cork  on  a  net  in  the  sea,  which,  on  account  of  its 
buoyancy,  floats  on  the  surface  of  the  water.  He 
says: 

"  For  whereas  the  other  tackle  deeply 
bears  the  labor  of  the  sea,  I  am  wnbaptized, 
as  a  cork  above  the  fishing -net." 


126     WAYMARKS   TO    APOSTOLIC   BAPTISM. 

Strabo,  who  lived  at  the  same  time  with  Christ 
and  the  Apostles,  and  was  distinguished  as  a  writer 
on  geography  and  natural  history,  speaking  of  the 
peculiarity  of  certain  waters  in  Sicily,  says : 

11  And  about  Agrigentuin,  lakes  have, 
indeed,  the  taste  of  the  sea,  but  the  nature 
different  ;  for  not  even  to  those  that  are 
unable  to  swim  does  it  happen  to  be  bap- 
tized, they  floating  on  the  surface  of  the 
water,  after  the  manner  of  logs  of  wood." 

Lucian,  also,  who  wrote  about  the  middle  of  the 
second  century  of  the  Christian  era,  in  his  True 
History,  mentions,  among  other  wonders  of  a  sea 
voyage,  the  discovery  of  a  large  number  of  men 
running  about  upon  the  sea,  who  were  in  all  re- 
spects like  himself,  except  their  feet,  which  they 
had  of  cork.     He  says  : 

"  We  were  truly  astonished,  seeing  them 
not  baptized,  but  keeping  above  the  waves, 
and  going  on  their  way  without  fear." 

Here  are  three  standard  Greek  writers,  embrac- 
ing together  a  period  of  more  than  600  years,  in- 
clusive of  the  apostolic  age,  all  describing  objects, 
sprinkled,  poured,  washed,  and  partially  submerged ; 
yet  declaring  that  these  objects  were  not  baptized. 
The  conclusion  is  hence  inevitable,  that,  in  classic 


SPECIAL   EXAMPLES    OF    BAPTIZO.        127 

Greek,  the  usage  of  this  word  was  such  as  made  it 
incapable  of  expressing  any  thing  short  of  immer- 
mersion.  For  if  the  word  could  be  properly  used 
to  signify  the  sprinkling  or  washing  or  partial 
submerging  of  any  person  or  thing,  then  any  per- 
son or  thing,  being  sprinkled,  washed,  or  partially 
submerged,  could  not  be  described  by  a  good  writer 
of  the  Greek  language,  as  unbaptized  ;  but  per- 
sons and  things,  so  sprinkled,  washed,  and  partially 
submerged,  are  here  declared  by  good  Greek  writers 
to  be  unbaptized  ;  the  word,  therefore,  could  not 
be  used,  in  classic  Greek,  to  signify  any  thing  less 
than  immersion. 

,     Again,  Gregory,  bishop  of  Nyssa,  writing  about 
A.  D.  371,  says: 

"He  is  baptized  in  the  Holy  Spirit,  who 
through  all  thought  and  words  and  deeds 
is  sanctified,  and  is  spiritual.  For  as  he 
who  is  baptized  into  water  is  wholly  wet,  so 
he  who  is  baptized  in  the  Holy  Spirit  be- 
comes entirely  spiritual  and  holy." 

Here  a  learned  Greek  father  of  the  early  Chris- 
tian Church  declares,  without  exception,  that  a 
total  wetting  of  the  person  is  the  result  of  water 
baptism  ;  from  which  it  is  evident  that  baptizo  had 
the  same  meaning  in  sacred  literature  as  it  had  in 


128      WAYMARKS  TO  APOSTOLIC  BAPTISM. 

the  foregoing  examples  from  Pindar,  Lucian  and 
Strabo,  seems  to  show  conclusively  that  the  only- 
proper  meaning  of  baptizo  in  secular  or  sacred 
usage  was  to  dip,  plunge,  or  immerse. 

And  with  the  evidence  before  me,  the  outline 
of  which  has  now  been  given  in  these  pages,  I 
cannot  avoid  the  conclusion  that  immersion  was 
in  accordance  with  the  meaning  of  the  word 
then  used  to  designate  the  ordinance,  the  uniform 
practice  of  the  Apostles  in  the  administration  of 
Christian  Baptism  ;  and  that  such  ought  to  be  the 
uniform  practice  of  Christians  at  the  present  day. 
I  admit  that  it  is  presumptuous,  if  not  preposter- 
ous, for  any  man  to  assert  that  actual  submission 
to  this  ordinance  is  so  essential  to  salvation,  that 
no  one  can  go  to  heaven  without  it ;  or  to  de- 
clare that  the  original  form  of  the  ordinance, 
as  prescribed  by  the  Savior  and  practiced  by  the 
Apostles,  is  the  only  form  that  could  have  been 
made  to  answer  the  same  end.  But  it  seems 
to  me  no  less  presumptuous,  for  a  believer  in  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  to  neglect  baptism,  simply  be- 
cause it  is  not  so  essential  ;  or  to  change  the  orig- 
inal form,  on  the  ground  that  a  substitute  is,  at 
the  same  time,  more  convenient,  and  presumed  to 
be  equally  well  adapted  to  the  purposes  of  the  ordi- 
nance.    I  sincerely  believe  that  it  is  the  duty  of 


SPECIAL  APPLICATION    OF   EXAMPLES.    129 

a  disciple  to  do  whatever  his  Lord  has  command- 
ed ;  and  that  in  the  observance  of  a  specific  ex- 
ternal rite,  nothing  else  can  be,  in  all  cases,  so 
safe  and  satisfactory,  as  to  follow  the  precice  im- 
port of  the  command  and  to  imitate,  as  perfectly 
as  possible,  the  divine  example. 


ALPHABETICAL  INDEX 


CONTENTS. 


PAGES 

Abysinian  Ritual, 

.      97 

Abysinian  Version, 

.    101 

Alcuinus,  Flaccus, 

.      87 

Ambrose,  Bishop  of  Milan,    . 

.      99 

Anglo-Saxon  Version, 

.      91 

Anglo-Saxon  Homily, 

.      95 

Anthon,  Charles, .... 

.     101 

Apostolical  Constitutions,    . 

.     102 

Aquila,  of  Pontus, 

.    115 

Aquinas,  Thomas, 

.      19 

Arabic  Version, 

.       96 

Armenian  Version, 

96, 123 

Augusti,  J.  C.  W. 

.      30 

Augustine,  Bishop  of  Hippo, 

.      98 

Baptists,  Testimony  of, 

5 

Barclay,  Robert, 

.      11 

132    ALPHABETICAL  INDEX  OF  CONTENTS. 


PAGES 

Barnes,  Albert, 

.      28 

Barnabas,       .... 

.    118 

Basil  the  Great, 

.    100 

Basnage,  James, 

.      89 

Bede,  The  Venerable, 

.      93 

Bengalee  Version, 

.      10 

Bengel,  John  A. 

.      23 

Benson,  Joseph, 

.      35 

Beza,  Theodore,            .        . 

.      65 

Bingham,  Joseph,          .        • 

.       41 

Bloomfield,  S.  T. 

.      39 

Brenner,  F.            ... 

.        .      49 

Brenton,  L.  C.  L. 

40, 124 

Bretschneider,      . 

.       55 

Buchner,  M.  G 

.       21 

Burkitt,  Wm.         , 

.      42 

Burmese  Version,                 * 

.       10 

Calvin,  John,                 .        • 

.      68 

Campbell,  Alexander, 

.      10 

Campbell,  George, 

.       32 

Carey,  Wm.           . 

.       10 

Casaubon,  Isaac, 

79, 104 

Catechism,  the  Roman, 

.      76 

Catholics,  Testimony  of, 

48,75 

Cave,  William,       . 

.      44 

Chalmers,  Thomas, 

.      30 

ALPHABETICAL  INDEX  OF  CONTENTS.     133 


PAGES 

Chappel,  Wm 

75 

Chinese  Versions, 

10,  18 

Chrysostom,  John, 

98 

Clarke,  Adam,       .        . 

37 

Coleman,  Lyman,          .        . 

29 

Confession,  Baptist, 

5 

Conybeare,  W.  J.           ... 

38 

Coptic  Version,     .... 

.     109 

10G 

Cox,  Richard,        .... 

71 

Ciircellaens,  Stephen,    . 

78 

Cyprian,  Thascius  C.             .        . 

104 

Cyrill,  of  Jerusalem, 

103 

Damascenus,  John,        .        .        . 

92 

Dean,  Wm.  .    ■ 

10 

De  Stourdza, 

55 

De  Wette,  W.  M.  L 

15 

Deylingius,  L.  S. 

25 

Diodati,  John,       .        .        . 

64 

Disciples,  Testimony  of, 

Doddridge,  Philip, 

33 

Donnegan,  James, 

Dort,  Synod  of, 

27 

Dutch  Reformed,  Testimony  of,    . 

.      12 

Dutch  Version,     .... 

27,59 

Ephrem  Syrus,      .... 

.    101 

134  ALPHABETICAL  INDEX  OF  CONTENTS. 


Episcopal  Church,  Testimony  of,      38, 43;  70 

Erasmus,  Desiderius,     . 

.      76 

Ethiopic  Version, 

.     101 

Floyer,  John, 

.      54 

Frith,  John, 

.      81 

Genevan  Ritual, 

.      67 

German  Reformed,  Testimony  of, 

.       12 

Gieseler,  J.  C.  J. 

.      19 

Goddard,  J.            ... 

.      10 

Gothic  Version, 

.    101 

Greek  Church,       ...           13, 

19,29 

Greenfield,  Wm.            ...       45,  114 

Gregory,  Nyssen,           .        .        .99,  127 

Grotius,  Hugo,       .... 

77 

Gutzlaff,  M. 

18 

Hagenbach,  K.  R. 

19 

Haldane,  Robert,           .... 

32 

Hedericus,  Benjamin, 

24 

Hermas, 

117 

Hill,  George, 

31 

Hinton,  John  H.            .        .        .        . 

6 

Holland,  The  Church  of, 

59 

Hutter,  Elias, 

57 

ALPHABETICAL  INDEX  OF  CONTENTS.     135 


PAGES 

Icelandic  Versions, 

.      80 

Jaspis,  G-.  S. 

55 

Johnson,  Samuel, 

40 

John  the  Evangelist,    . 

.     118 

Jones,  John,         .... 

80 

Jones,  J.  T 

10 

Judson,  Adoniram, 

.  7,  10 

Junckherrot,  John  J.    .         , 

23 

Justin  Martyr,                                , 

115 

Karen  Version, 

10 

Kendrick,  Asahel  C 

6 

Kenrick,  Francis  P. 

48 

Klipstein,  Louis  F 

55 

Knapp,  George  C 

13 

Knatchbul,  Norton,      . 

43 

Koppe,  J.  B 

23 

Latin  Versions, 

.     110 

Leo  I.          .                ... 

.       96 

Leusden,  John, 

.       26 

Liddell  and  Scott, 

.       52 

Lightfoot,  John, 

.       34 

Lingard,  John, 

.       50 

Liturgy  of  the  Episcopal  Church, 

.       74 

Lucian,  of  Samosata, 

.     126 

Luke,  the  Evangelist, 

.     118 

136    ALPHABETICAL  INDEX  OF  CONTENTS. 


TAGB8 

Luther,  Martin, 

.      59 

Lutherans,  Testimony  of,      . 

12,57 

Lynch, 

.      51 

Macknight,  James, 

.       33 

Markland,  Jeremiah, 

.       40 

Mason,  F.              ... 

.       10 

Matthies, 

.       15 

Matthew,  the  Evangelist, 

.     119 

Melancthon,  Philip, 

.       58 

Methodists,  Testimony  of, 

.       35 

Michaelis,  John  D. 

.       24,  114 

Milton,  John, 

7 

Mosheim,  John  L. 

.       20 

Muratori,  Lewis  A. 

50,85 

Neander,  Augustus, 

.       16 

Nicephorus,  Calistus, 

.     106 

Novatian, 

.     107 

Olshausen,  H. 

.       14 

Origen,  Adamantius,       .     . 

.     Ill 

Pamelius,  James, 

.       75 

Pasor,  George, 

.       79 

Passow,  F. 

.       52 

Paul,  the  Apostle, 

.     119 

ALPHABETICAL  INDEX  OF  CONTENTS. 


137 


PAGE8 

Pearce,  W.  H 10 

Persic  Version, 

.       83 

Photius, 

.       86 

Pindar, 

.     125 

Prayer,  Book  of  Common, 

.       73 

Presbyterians,  Testimony  oi 

2S,  64 

Quakers,  Testimony  of, 

.       11 

Rabanus,  Maurus, 

.       87 

Ravenna,  The  Council 

at, 

57,  84 

Rees,  A. 

.       45 

Reichard,  H.  G.    . 

.       55 

Reitz,  J.  H.  . 

.       26 

Robinson,  Edward, 

.       28 

Roman  Catechism, 

.      76 

Rosenmuller,  J.  G. 

.       54 

Sabians, 

.     115 

Sadolet,  James,     . 

.      76 

Salmasius,  Claudius, 

..      78 

Saxony,  The  Church  of 

.       58 

Scapula,  John, 

.       80 

Scarlet,  Nathaniel, 

.       12 

Schaff,  Philip,       . 

.       12 

Schleusner,  J.  F.  . 

.       56 

Schoetgen,  C. 

.       56 

Schott,  H.  A. 

.       55 

Schrevelius,  C. 

.       27 

Septuagint  Version, 

40,  123 

138    ALPHABETICAL  INDEX  OF  CONTENTS. 


PAGES 

Sherlock,  Thomas, 

.       41 

Siamese  Version, 

.       10 

Simon,  the  Magician, 

.     103 

Slavonic  Version, 

.       86 

Socrates,  the  Historian, 

.       97 

Stephen  II. 

.       88 

Stevens,  Henry, 

.       80 

Storr,  T.  C.           ... 

.      21 

Strabo,  the  Geographer, 

.     126 

Stuart,  Moses,      . 

.       29 

Suicer,  J.  C. 

.       66 

Symmachus, 

.     112 

Syriac  Version, 

.     113 

Taylor,  Jeremy, 

.      47 

Tertullian,            .        .        : 

.     112 

Theile,           .... 

.       13 

Tholuck,  F.  A.  G. 

.      14 

Thompson,  Charles, 

123 

Tischendorf.  . 

62 

Torrey,  Prof. 

.        .      18 

Trent,  Council  of, 

76 

Trollope,  William, 

44 

Trommius,  Abraham, 

.     123 

Tyndal,  Wm. 

81 

Ulphilas, 


101 


ALPHABETICAL  INDEX  OF  CONTENTS.     139 

PAGES 

tJniversalists,  Testimony  of,  .        .11 

Valesius,  Henry, 106 

"Waddington,  George,    ....  44 

Walderus, 81 

Welsh  Versions, 80 

Wesley,  John, 35 

Westminster  Assembly,         .        .        47, 56 

Whitby,  Daniel, 42 

Whitefield,  George        ...  37 

Whiting,  N.N 6 

Whittingham,  Wm 72 

Wiclif,  John, 83 

Wiseman,  N.          .....  48 

Wolfius,  JohnC 23 

Yates,  Wm 10 

Zacharias,     .        .        .        .  88 


JBoohs  Published  by  Sheldon  <&  Co. 
ABBOTT'S   AMERICAN  HISTORY. 

A  Series  of  American  Histories  for  Youth,  by  Jacob  Abbott. 

To  be  completed  in  Twelve  Volumes,  18mo,  price  75  cents  each. 
Each  volume  complete  in  itself. 

Each  volume  will  be  illustrated  with  numerous  Maps  and  En- 
gravings, from  original  designs,  by  F.  0.  0.  Darley,  J.  R.  Chapin, 
G-.  Perkins,  Charles  Parsons,  H.  TV.  Herrick,  E.  F.  Beaulieu, 
H.  L.  Stephens,  and  others. 

This  Series,  by  the  well-known  author  of  the  "  Rollo 
Books,"  "Rollo's  Tour  in  Europe,"  "Harper's  Series  op 
European  Histories,"  "The  Florence  Stories,"  &c,  will 
consist  of  the  following  volumes : 

1.  Aboriginal  America.     (Now  ready.) 

2.  Discovery  op  America.     (Now  ready.) 

3.  Southern  Colonies.    (Ready  Nov.  1st.) 

4.  The  Northern  Colonies. 

5.  The  Middle  Colonies. 

6.  Revolt  op  the  Colonies. 

7.  Boston  in  Seventy-Five. 

8.  New  York  in  Seventy-Six. 

9.  The  Carolinas  in  Seventy-Nine. 

10.  Campaign  in  the  Jerseys. 

11.  burgoyne  and  cornwallis. 

12.  The  Federal  Constitution. 

NOTICES  OF  THE  INITIAL  VOLUME. 

From  the  Boston  Traveller. 
.     "  The  most  excellent  publication  of  the  kind  ever  undertaken." 

From  the  Boston  Advertiser. 
"  The  illustrations  are  well  designed  and  executed." 

From  the  Boston  Post. 
"  One  of  the  most  useful  of  the  many  good  and  popular  books  of  -which 
Mr.  Abbott  is  the  author." 

From  the  Philadelphia  North  American. 
"  It  is  indeed  a  very  vivid  and  comprehensive  presentation  of  the  physi- 
cal aspect  and  aboriginal  life  visible  on  this  continent,  before  the  discovery 
by  white  men." 

From  the  Troy  Whig. 
"  Mr.  Abbott's  stories  have  for  years  been  the  delight  of  thousands." 


Books  Published  by  Sheldon  <&  Co. 
HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 

By  Mrs.  Thomas  G-eldart, 

Author  of  "  Daily  Thoughts  for  a  Child,"  "  Stories  of  Scotland,"  &c 

With  Twenty  Illustrations,  by  J.  R.  Chapin,  and  others. 

1  vol.,  16mo.     Price  75  cents. 

From  the  Detroit  Advertiser. 
41  The  work  haB  been  executed  with  rare  taste  and  judgment,  and  con- 
tains all  the  most  important  events  in  the  history  of  England,  and  all  that 
it  is  really  important  for  ordinary  readers  to  know." 

From  the  Philadelphia  North  American. 
"  Much  of  the  information  is  quite  curious,  and  drawn  from  recondite 
sources." 

From  the  Baltimore  Patriot. 
"Precisely  suited  to  the  rising  generation." 

From  the  Boston  Journal. 

"  This  work  exactly  realizes  our  idea  of  \rhat  a  juvenile  history  should 
be.  It  is  simple  and  direct,  without  degrading  the  dignity  of  history;  in- 
teresting, without  converting  it  into  a  romance,  and  above  all  draws  such 
pictures  of  dress  and  manners  in  the  olden  time,  that  instead  of  a  list  of 
hard  names,  living  characters,  eating,  drinking,  and  sleeping  like  our- 
selves, walk  before  the  mind's  eye  of  the  youthful  readers.  This  work 
does  for  juveniles  what  Charles  Knight's  Popular  History  is  doing  for 
mature  readers." 

From  the  Philadelphia  City  Item. 

"We  have  read  the  volume,  and  have  pleasure  in  commending  it  to 
public  pei  asal.  It  is  a  work  for  old  or  young,  and  it  is  so  full  of  interest 
that  no  one  will  lay  it  down  until  its  details  have  been  mastered." 

From  the  Church  Journal. 
"  A  very  pleasant,  easy,  readable  book  is  Mrs.  Geldart's  Popular  His- 
tory of  England.     She  has  had  long  practice  in  writing  for  children,  and 
it  is  such  practice  as  makes  perfect." 

From  the  Philadelphia  Christian  Instructor. 
"  We  know  of  no  History  of  England  so  well  adapted  to  prove  an  at- 
tractive and  instructive  readiug-book  for  young  persons  as  the  one  before 
us.  The  style  is  very  simple,  but,  at  the  same  time,  chaste  and  elevated  ; 
and,  what  is  very  important,  the  book  abounds  with  practical  lessons  for 
the  young.  Although  specially  designed  for  this  class,  it  may  be  read  with 
interest  and  profit  by  all  persons." 

From  the  New  York  Netos. 
"  British,  Danish,  and  Saxon  England,  from  the  conquest  of  Caesar  to 
that  of  William  the  Norman,  is  described  in  this  book  with  a  picturesque- 
ness  and  vigor  which  make  it  most  fascinating.  Designed  for  the  young 
it  has  charms  for  readers  of  every  class  and  age.  The  engravings  are  ex- 
cellent, and  give  many  drawings  of  arms,  utensils,  and  implements  of  the 
ancient  inhabitants  of  England.  It  is  rather  a  picture  than  a  history, 
although  historical  characters  are  introduced  to  give  life  and  interest  to 
the  description." 


JBooJes  Published  by  Sheldon  &  Co. 
SCRIPTURE   STORIES. 

A  New  Series  of  "Stories  from  the  Scriptures,''  printed  on 
linen  cloth ;  the  Illustrations  in  Oil  Colors,  after  new  designs  by 
A.  Lumley  and  others. 

The  Series  will  consist  of  Twelve  Books,  each  one  interesting 
and  instructive.     The  following  are  now  ready : 

The  Story  of  Samson. 
The  Story  of  Euth. 
The  Story  of  David. 


Small  quarto.     Price  of  each  20  cents. 

From  the  New  York  Evangelist. 

"  The  Indestructible  Picture  Book,"  is  well  employed  in  being  made  in- 
strumental, as  in  this  instance,  in  rendering  Scripture  narrative  attractive 
to  children.  The  linen  cloth  fits  it  to  wear  and  endure — an  important 
requisite  for  anything  submitted  to  the  manipulation  of  young  fingers. 
The  colored  cuts  are  an  attractive  feature  of  the  book." 
From  the  Boston  Journal. 

"  This  remarkably  pretty  juvenile  contains  the  story  of '  Samson,'  printed 
on  cloth,  with  colored  illustrations.  These  indestructible  books  are  in  great 
favor  in  the  nursery,  for  which  use  they  are  admirably  adapted." 


THE  INDESTRUCTIBLE  PLEASURE- 
BOOKS 

For  Children ;  printed  in  Oil  Colors,  on  linen  cloth  expressly 
manufactured  for  this  purpose. 

Consisting  *- — 

Bedding  of  Cock  Robin. 

The  House  that  Jack  Built. 

)ld  Mother  Hubbard. 

Little  Bo-Peep. 

Life  and  Death  of  Jenny  Wren. 

The  Old  Woman  and  Her  Pig. 

The  Little  Man  and  Little  Maid. 

The  Illuminated  Reader. 

The  Scripture  Primer. 

Small  quarto,  price  20  cents  each. 


JSooks  Published  by  Sheldon  <&  Co. 

SUNDAY  SCHOOL  BOOKS. 

A  New  Series  of  choice  books  for  Sunday  School  Libraries, 
nearly  all  new,  and  prettily  Illustrated. 

The  Tear  of  Jubilee.    By  Mrs.  Maria  T.  Richards.    30  cents. 

The  Pioneer  Preacher  ;  an  Autobiography.    40  cents. 

Rose  Morton's  Journal  for  January.     30  cents. 

•Clementina's  Mirror.    35  cents. 

Isabel;  or,  Influences  for  Good.     25  cents. 

Poor  Nelly  ;  or,  the  Golden  Mushroom.    35  cents. 

The  Irish  Scholar.     25  cents. 

The  Oastilian  Martyrs.     25  cents. 

Memoir  of  Old  Humphrey.     35  cents. 

Little  Agnes;  and  Other  Stories.     25  cents. 

The  Child  Angel,  and  Angel  Lily.     25  cents. 

The  Young  Envelop-Makers.     30  cents. 

Look  Up;  or,  Girls  and  Flowers.     20  cents. 

A  Book  for  Boys.     35  cents. 

A  Swarm  of  B's.     Six  Charming  Stories.     25  cents. 

Stories  For  School  Boys.    Second  Series.    30  cents. 

Matty  Gregg.    30  cents. 

The  Sunday  Shop  ;  or,  The  Fourth  Commandment.    20  center 

Life  of  Gideon.     20  cents. 


Books  Published  by  Sheldon  &  Co. 


SUNDAY    SCHOOL    BOOKS. 
♦♦* 

Be  Courteous.     By  Mrs.  M.  H.  Maxwell.     25  cents. 

Little  G-ranite;  or,  the  New  Hampshire  Boy.    20  cents. 

Quiet  Thoughts  for  Quiet  Hours.    25  cents. 

Old  Humphrey's  Friendly  Appeals.     30  cents. 

Charles  Roussel;  or,  Industry  and  Honesty.     30  cents. 

Cheerful  Chapters.    By  Old  Alan  Gray.     25  cents. 

Margaret  Browning  ;  or,  Trust  in  God.     25  cents. 

Brightness  and  Beauty.    25  cents. 

Three  Months  Under  the  Snow.    25  cents. 

Frank  Netherton;  or,  the  Talisman.     30  cents. 

Irish  Stories,  for  Thoughtful  Readers.     35  cents. 

Stories  for  Tillage  Lads.    25  cents. 

Magic.    Pretended  Miracles,  &c.     25  cents. 

Alice  Wade  and  Lame  Isaac    20  cents. 

Martyr  of  Yilvorde.    35  cents. 

Lois  Mead;  or,  the  Adopted  Daughter.     25  cents. 

The  Pastor's  Household.  By  Mrs.  Chas.  "W.  Du  Bose.    40  eta 

The  Swiss  Basket-Makjir,  and  Other  Stories.     25  cents. 

Mabel's  New  Tear,  &c.    By  Mrs.  Bradley.     30  cents. 

Emily  Gray.     By  Mrs.  Maria  T.  Richards.     35  cents. 

The  Emigrant's  Mother.     30  cents. 

The  Prisoner's  Child,  and  Other  Stories.     25  cents. 


Books  Published  by  Sheldon  <&  Co. 

SUNDAY    SCHOOL   BOOKS. 
++-* 

Eose  Morton's  Journal  for  February.     35  cents. 

Jessie  Allison.    By  Mrs.  Mary  A.  Richards.    40  cents, 

Hester  and  I.    By  Mrs.  Manners.     40  cents. 

Pacts  for  Boys.     25  cents. 

Facts  for  Girls.    25  cents. 

Every  Day  Duty.    25  cents. 

The  London  Apprentice.    By  "W.  H.  Pearce.    25  cents. 

GAMBLING  IN  ITS  INFANCY  AND  PROGRESS.      30  Cents. 

The  Great  Secret.    By  Mrs.  E.  C.  Judsoa.    40  cents. 
Charles  Linn.    By  the  same.    25  cents. 
Allen  Lucas.    By  the  same.    25  cents. 
My  Priend's  Family.    By  Mrs.  Marshall.     25  cents. 
"Way  for  a  Child  to  be  Saved.    25  cents. 
Life  of  Bunyan.    By  Ira  Chase,  D.D.     25  cents. 
Helen  M.  Mason.    By  Francis  Mason,  D.D.     35  cents. 
Father  Clark;  or,  the  Pioneer  Preacher.    40  cents. 


Books    TMablislied.    "by    Sheldon    <fc    Co. 


THE    BAPTIST    CHURCH    DIRECTORY. 

•*  A  Guide  to  the  Doctrines,  Discipline,  Officers,  Ordinances, 
and  Customs  of  Baptist  Churches.  By  Edward  T.  Hiscox,  D.  D. 
Price,  red  edges,  60  cents ;  plain,  50  cents. 

"  It  will  prove,  in  my  judgment,  an  invaluable   guide  to  our  churcb 
members." — Dr.  Jeter,  of  Richmond. 

T IFE  OF  SPENCER  H.  CONE,  D.  D.     With 

-^    a  fine  Steel  Plate  Portrait.     1  vol.  12mo.     Price  $1  25. 

M  A  complete,  accurate,  and  in  every  way  reliable  memoir  of  our  la 
men  ted  brother." — New  York  Chronicle. 


r[RACE  TRUMAN;  or,  Love  and  Principle. 
"  By  Sallie  Rochester  Ford.  "With  Steel  Portrait  of  the 
Authoress.     1  voL  12mo.    Price  $1. 

PRINCIPLES  AND  PRACTICES  OF  BAP- 

1  TISTS.  By  Francis  Wayland,  D.  D.  1  vol.  12mo. 
Price,  $1. 

THE    BAPTIST    DENOMINATION.       By 

-*-  Rev.  D.  C.  Haynes.  With  an  Introduction  by  Rev.  John 
Dowling,  D.  D.     1  vol.  12mo.     Price  $1. 

THE   BAPTIST  LIBRARY.      A  Republica- 

■*-  tion  of  Standard  Baptist  Works.  Edited  by  Rev.  Messrs 
G-.  G-.  Somers,  W.  R.  Williams,  and  L.  L.  Hill.  1  vol.  royal 
octavo.     Sheep.    $3  50. 

BENEDICT'S    HISTORY    OF    THE    BAP- 

**  TISTS.  A  General  History  of  the  Baptist  Denomination  in 
America,  and  other  parts  of  the  World.  By  David  Benedict. 
With  a  Steel  Portrait  of  Roger  Williams.  1  vol.  royal  octavo. 
Sheep.     Price  $3  50. 

(COMPENDIUM  OF  THE  FAITH  OF  THE 

^     BAPTISTS.     Paper.     Price,  p<  t  dozen,  50  cents. 


Books    .Published,    by    Sheldon    &    Co. 


f>LIND  BAETIMEUS ;    Or,  The   Story  of  a 

■^  Sightless  Sinner  and  his  Great  Physician.  By  Eev.  "William 
J.  Hoge,  Professor  in  the  Union  Theological  Seminary,  Prince 
Edwards,  Ya.     1  vol.  large  18mo.     257  pages.     75  cents. 

"A  most  excellent  book,  full  of  sound  instruction  and  the  very  spirit  of 
the  Gospel." — Boston  Recorder. 

"  "We  wish  it  could  he  placed,  this  winter,  in  the  hands  of  thousands  of 
'sightless  sinners.'  " — Cincinnati  Christian  Herald. 

"  Brief  in  compass,  clear  in  arrangement,  and  singularly  animated, 
direct,  forcible,  and  pungent  in  style,  not  rarely  reminding  one  of  the  fer- 
vor of  Richard  Baxter,  -while  marked  throughout  by  a  classic  elegance  of 
diction,  to  which  he  made  no  pretension." — Cor.  N.  C.  Presbyterian. 

|)AILY  THOUGHTS   FOR  A  CHILD.      By 

-^  Mrs.  Thomas  Geld  art,  author  of  "Truth  is  Every  Thing," 
*  Emilie  the  Peacemaker,"  etc.,  etc.     1  vol.  18mo.     50  cents. 

"  In  exquisite  simplicity  of  style,  beauty  of  illustration,  and  religious 
power,  this  book  has  few  superiors  in  juvenile  literature." — Boston  Era. 

"  Meditations  for  morning  and  evening  for  a  month,  adapted  to  the 
capacity  and  aspirations  of  a  youthful  heart.  Many  of  them  are  very 
6weet  s.nd  affecting  compositions." 

"A  charming  little  work,  which  is  sure  to  be  a  favorite  with  the 
young." — English  Papers. 

TRUTH    IS    EYERY    THING.       By    Mrs. 

■*•     Thomas  G-eldart.     1  vol.  18mo.     Price  50  cents. 

"  The  interest  of  the  volume  is  genuine.  There  is  nothing  false  or  spu- 
rious about  it.     It  is  true  to  nature ;  it  is  true  to  the  heart." 

"  This  is  a  charming  little  book  for  the  young  ;  the  matter  is  very  in 
teresting,  not  overdrawn,  while  its  tenor  is  to  win  over  youth  to  the  prac- 
tice and  love  of  truth." 

"  This  is  a  charming  tale,  ath*active  from  the  simplicity  and  beauty  of 
feeling  which  pervades  it — most  useful  because  it  steps  "not  beyond  the 
comprehension  of  youth." — English  Press. 

THE    LIYINQ    EPISTLE;    or,    The    Moral 

■*■  Power  of  a  Religious  Life.  By  Rev.  Cornelius  Tyree,  of 
Powhatan,  Ya.  "With  an  Introduction  by  Rev.  Dr  Fuller,  of 
Baltimore.     1  vol.  18mo.     Price  GO  cents. 

"It  is  adapted  to  the  wants  of  the  times,  and,  we  irust,  will  be  exten- 
sively read."  —  Southern  Baptist  Missionary  Magazine. 

"  A  book  full  of  good  counsels,  important  lessons,  elevating  the  idea  of 
•lie  Christian  life,  and  encouraging  the  reader  to  holy  living  and  acttas* 
— New  York  Obwrver. 


Boolcs    DPioblislied.    by    Sheldon    <Sc    uo. 


THE  CHRISTIAN  GRACES.     By  Rev.  J.  P. 

-*-  Thompson,  D.D.,  of  the  Broadway  Tabernacle.  1  vol 
18mo      Trice  75  cents. 

*;  The  book  is  -well  fitted  tc  do  good  to  all  everywhere  ;  and  we  hope  It 
will  be  widely  read,  and  made  greatly  useful." — New  York  Observer. 

"  Dr.  Thompson  has  a  happy  talent  for  the  familiar  exposition  of  Scrip- 
ture, and  the  practical  application  of  its  doctrines." — Bosto7i  Recorder. 

"They are  earnest  and  affectionate  exhortations,  intended  to  help  in  the 
formation  of  Christian  character,  and  the  cultivation  of  the  Christian 
graces." — Boston  Advertiser. 

THE   BIBLE   IN  THE  LEY  ANT  ;    or,  The 

■*-  Life  and  Letters  of  Rev.  Chester  K  Righter.  By  R.ev.  S. 
Irexjeus  Prime,  D.D.  Illustrated  with  a  Steel  Portrait  of  Mr. 
Righter.     1  vol.  18nio.     336  pages.     Price  75  cents. 

"The  results  of  his  efforts  are  narrated  by  Mr.  Prime  in  a  style  clear 
and  interesting,  which  renders  this  volume  not  only  readable,  but  exceed- 
ingly instructive.  We  can  commend  the  work  with  entire  confidence  that 
it  will  be  productive  of  good  results." — Boston  Post. 

"  It  is  really  beautiful  in  its  delineation  of  a  frank,  whole-souled  man, 
who  always  pressed  straight  forward  in  the  fear  of  God,  without  any  feai 
of  man." — Hartford  Courant. 

"Mr.  Righter' s  visit  to  the  Copts,  in  Egypt,  and  description  of  that  in- 
teresting people,  will  be  read  with  peculiar  interest.  The  account  of  his 
travels  is  taken  principally  from  his  letters,  and  displays,  unconsciously, 
his  bold,  fearless,  unwavering  devotion  to  the  right.  His  biographer  was 
his  traveling  companion  in  his  first  tour  abroad,  and  enjoyed  peculiar  ad- 
vantages for  thoroughly  comprehending  his  character." — Boston  Journal 

GLIMPSES  OF  JESUS,  EXALTED  IN  THE 

U  AFFECTIONS  OF  HIS  PEOPLE.  By  Rev.  W.  P  Bal- 
fern.     1  vol.  18mo.     Price  60  cents. 

"  This  book  is  redolent  with  the  sweet  savor  of  Him  whose  name  is  like 
precious  ointment  poured  forth." — Evangelical  Repository. 

"  Few  works  of  this  class  are  to  be-  named  with  it,  and  as  a  Sabbath 
School  volume  it  stands,  we  should  think,  almost  without  a  rival," — Bos- 
gon  Daily  Traveller. 

"  This  is  a  sweet  little  book.  Many  a  halting  pilgrim  will  be  quickened, 
many  awakened  ones  will  be  led  to  Jesus,  and  many  stricken  souls  will  b6 
revived  and  comforted  by  a  perusal  of  its  pages,  beaming -with  a  Saviour's 
love." — Presbyterian  Banner  and  Advocate. 

"  It  presents  the  example  or  Christ  under  the  various  circumstances  and 
vicissitudes  of  his  brief  earthly  history,  for  the  imitation  and  encourage- 
ment of  his  followers." — American  Presbyterian  and  Gmisaee  Evangelist, 


Bool\.*  Published,  by-  Sheldon  <fc  Co. 

THE  CHINA  MISSION ;  embracing  a  History 

-*-  of  the  various  Missions  of  all  Denominations  among  tbe 
Chinese,  with  Biographical  Sketches  of  deceased  Missionaries 
By  William  Dwan,  D.D.,  twenty  years  a  Missionary  to  Chin*. 
1  vol.     12mo.     Price,  $1. 

"The  author  ha-  looked  with  the  eye  of  a  practical  teacher  npon  the 
land  and  the  people  he  was  to  conquer,  and  he  has  given  as  what  we  feel 
Is  a  true  and  living  portraiture  of  the  habits,  customs,  and  traditions  of  the 
nation.  *  *  *  1  side  from  its  religious  aspect,  this  work  has  an  atrrac- 
tiveness  and  novelty  ;hatis  rarely  surpassed  by  any  publication.'' — Albany 
Statesman. 

•'Enjoying  advanUges  of  information  possessed  by  few  others  in  like 
degree,  lie  has  groa]  ;d  together  a  statement  of  facts  remaka:  le  for  iti 
conciseness  chainea  .  and  graphic  method  of  presentation.  His  b>ok  is 
as  interesting  as  that  of  M.  Hue,  and  perhaps  much  more  entirely  vera- 
cious. It  will  add  greatly  to  our  kuowle  Ige  of  the  remarkable  nation  of 
•which  it  treats."—  Tro y  Times. 

CUNDAY  MORNING  THOUGHTS.   By  Mr> 

-*    Thomas   Geldart,  author  of  "Emilie  the  Peacemaker 
)tc.     1  vol.     16  mo.     Price,  50  cents. 

CUNDAY  EVENING  THOUGHTS.    By  Mrs 

^  Thomas  G-eldart,  author  of  "Truth  is  Everything,"  eta 
I  vol.     16  mo.     Price,  50  cents. 

TMILIE   THE   PEACEMAKER       By   Mrs. 

■^     Thojias  Geld  art.     1  vol.     16mo.     Price.  50  cents. 

"This  beautiful  story  excels  almost  all  the  moral  and  religious  tales  we 
know.  The  best  things  of  Airs.  Sherwood  and  Mrs.  Holland  are  in  many 
respects  inferior  to  it;  and  Miss  Edgeworth  seldom  wrote  more  vigor 
ously  and  charmingly;  while,  in  purity  of  sentiment  and  exquisite  illus- 
tration of  the  truth  it  embodies,  it  is  richer  far  than  ar^  the  works  of  the 
writers  we  have  named.  Seldom  has  a  great  lesson  been  more  touchingly 
taught,  or  piety  of  heart  and  life  been  rendered  more  attractive." — Non 
conformist. 

•'  We  know  not  when  we  have  read  a  tale  so  entirely  to  our  mind  a? 
this.  The  lessen  conveyed  in  the  tale  is  one  of  heavenly  wisdom,  incuJ 
eating 'peace  upon  earth,  and  good-will  towards  men,' and  the  heart  o* 
every  reader  must  be  improved  by  it"— Norfolk  Keus. 

THE  WOEDS  OF  JESUS  AND  THE  FAITH 

J-  FUL  PRO  MISER.  By  the  Author  of  "  The  Morning  and 
Nig-it  Watches."     1  vol.     iSmo      Price  37  cents. 


